Japan plans to discharge wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant from spring or summer as scheduled.

According to Kyodo News, the country's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday that although reaching capacity for the storage tanks at the facility has been adjusted to next February, the discharge will be carried out as scheduled.

The report said the minister made the remark after a Cabinet meeting during which he briefed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the progress of construction of an undersea tunnel to release the water, with the prime minister telling Nishimura to proceed.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company on Tuesday finished digging the one-thousand-30 meter tunnel through which the wastewater will be discharged into the ocean.

Neighboring countries including South Korea and China as well as Pacific Island nations and fishing communities near the plant have expressed concern over the plan.