Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is expected to meet with representatives from the fishing industry as early as Monday to discuss the planned release of treated and diluted water from the crippled nuclear plant into the sea.

Kishida visited the Fukushima Daiichi plant Sunday to inspect preparations for the water release.

He said his government as a whole will make decisions about the timing of the release based on the status of efforts to ensure safety and deal with harmful misinformation.

Water that was used to cool molten fuel at the Fukushima Daiichi plant has mixed with rain and groundwater during storage. The accumulated water has been treated to remove most radioactive substances but still contains tritium.

The government plans to dilute the treated water to reduce tritium levels to about one-seventh the level deemed permissible under World Health Organization's guidelines for drinking water before releasing it into the sea.

But people in the fishing industry remain opposed to the plan. Kishida is expected to meet with senior officials of the National Federation of Fisheries Co-Operative Associations and of local fisheries coops in Fukushima Prefecture as early as Monday to gain their understanding.

In 2015, the industry ministry told the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations it would not go ahead with the release without gaining the understanding of concerned parties.

Kishida is expected to try to do that by explaining the government's efforts to ensure safety and protect the local fishing industry's reputation.

The government plans to convene a meeting of relevant cabinet ministers this week to determine the starting date of the water release.