China set to resume Japanese seafood imports halted due to Fukushima worries

TOKYO – China has agreed on procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood products, Japan’s government said on May 30, marking a step towards ending a nearly two-year trade ban.

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China’s Customs reached the agreement during a meeting in Beijing on May 28, the Japanese ministry said, adding China-bound seafood exports are expected to resume after China takes “necessary procedures”.

The agreement comes as both governments work to ease tensions stemming from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The Japanese ministry did not specify the details of the procedures.

But the Nikkei newspaper, which reported the news earlier, said that under the agreed measures, Japan will register fishery processing facilities with the Chinese authorities, and export shipments will include inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances such as cesium-137.

Nikkei added that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future.

China found “no abnormalities” during its monitoring of Japanese seafood products, its foreign ministry said on May 30.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Japan promised to take credible and visible measures to guarantee quality and safety of aquatic products and meet regulatory requirements.

China imposed the ban on Japanese seafood imports in 2023, shortly after Tokyo began releasing treated wastewater from the disaster-hit plant, prompting a sharp diplomatic and economic backlash. REUTERS

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