TOKYO (AP) – Japan has officially resumed its seafood exports to China for the first time since a ban was imposed in August 2023. This ban was a direct response to Japan's discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, a situation that arose after the plant suffered triple meltdowns due to a major earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The ban significantly impacted Japan's seafood industry, particularly affecting scallops and sea cucumbers, as China was the largest overseas market for Japanese seafood.
On Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announced that 6 metric tons (6.6 tons) of scallops harvested from Hokkaido were shipped to China. This marks the first shipment to the country since the introduction of the ban on Japanese seafood nearly a year prior. Kihara expressed optimism regarding this development, viewing it as a positive move and urging China to continue re-registering pending applications from Japanese seafood exporters.
The resurgence of seafood exports followed a statement from Beijing in June 2023, indicating plans to ease the ban and prepare for the resumption of seafood imports. This change came after extensive negotiations between Japanese and Chinese officials. Despite the recent improvements, a ban still remains on seafood from Fukushima and nine nearby prefectures, which China enforced immediately after the plant's meltdowns.
Kihara not only emphasized the importance of resuming seafood exports but also noted that Japan would continue to advocate for Beijing to lift the remaining bans, including one on Japanese beef. Japanese officials, supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), argue that the treated wastewater released into the ocean is safe and meets international safety standards. The Japanese government has received approval to proceed with the gradual release of this water after adequate treatment and dilution, a move that has been further validated by a comprehensive report from the IAEA.
As Japan looks to rebuild its seafood export industry, the recent shipment of scallops to China signifies a critical first step. The ongoing dialogue between Japan and China highlights the intricate relationships between food safety, international trade, and diplomatic negotiations in the context of historical nuclear incidents. The Japanese government remains hopeful that further negotiations will lead to a more comprehensive lifting of bans and a restoration of the robust trade relationship that once existed between the two nations.
