People rally to protest against the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea, in Tokyo, capital of Japan, April 13, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

Minister for Reconstruction Katsuei Hirasawa in Japan apologized for releasing promotional materials featuring radioactive tritium as a mascot, and he said the government will re-produce related materials after the previous images were removed from the website only one day after their release, Japanese news website Asahi reported on Tuesday.

Hirasawa, also minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima, made his remarks and bowed deeply during a press conference on Tuesday. "I apologize to those who are not happy about this, especially the victims in the Fukushima Prefecture," he said, according to the report.

He also noted that he and his office have received massive numbers of protest emails questioning whether they were "underestimating the danger of nuclear power plants," and "attempting to downplay the impact of a nuclear accident," the report said.

But some netizens still questioned whether his apology was enough to solve the problem. 

The Japanese government has decided to dump nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, triggering wide opposition from both home and abroad. 

The plan is not only against the interests of the Japanese fishery industry, but has also caused concerns and doubts from neighboring countries including China and South Korea.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been generating nuclear-contaminated water since the accident caused by 2011 earthquake and tsunami.