China Resumes Seafood Imports from Japan After Two-Year Ban
(MENAFN) China has lifted its two-year ban on seafood imports from most parts of Japan, a restriction initially enforced due to concerns over the release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
The Chinese government announced that it will "conditionally resume" imports, excluding seafood from 10 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, including Tokyo and Fukushima.
On June 29, China's General Administration of Customs stated that long-term monitoring of the treated wastewater from Fukushima showed "not shown abnormalities."
In 2011, a catastrophic tsunami flooded three reactors at the Fukushima plant in northeast Japan, leading to what is widely regarded as the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The incident caused three of the plant's six reactors to melt down, severely damaging the facility. Over time, more than a million tonnes of treated wastewater have accumulated there.
In 2023, Japan began discharging this wastewater into the ocean, a move that has been supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The release process is expected to take up to three decades to complete.
While most experts deem the discharge safe, some scientists caution that there is insufficient research into its long-term effects on the marine environment.
In response, Beijing swiftly banned Japanese seafood, citing environmental concerns and safety risks. Prior to the ban, China was Japan's largest seafood market, responsible for nearly a quarter of the country’s seafood exports.
The Japanese government welcomed China's partial lifting of the ban, calling it a "positive" development. Japan emphasized that it would continue urging China to accept seafood imports from all Japanese regions.
Officials stated that production companies that had halted exports to China would now need to reapply for registration and comply with supervision measures.
Despite the trade ties, the two nations have had a history of strained relations, exacerbated by territorial disputes and Japan’s past occupation of parts of China.
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