Japanese officials are expressing worry over the possibility of China halting its purchases of Japanese seafood exports. This concern arises as Japan prepares to release treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. The release, approved by the UN nuclear watchdog, has faced opposition both domestically and internationally. China, one of the major buyers of Japanese seafood, has been a vocal critic of the planned water release, citing threats to marine life and human health.
China currently restricts imports from certain Japanese regions due to the nuclear accident, and there are fears that these restrictions could be expanded or even result in a blanket ban on Japanese seafood. Three Japanese government officials and a ruling party lawmaker, speaking anonymously, anticipate China’s potential economic retaliation against Japan. While the share of Japanese seafood imports in the Chinese market is relatively small, it represents a significant market for Japan.
China’s foreign ministry has criticized Japan for inadequate consultation with the international community regarding the water release, emphasizing the need to protect consumers and closely monitor developments. Japan has sought scientific discussions with China on the matter and intends to continue doing so. Currently, China bans seafood imports from several Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, and subjects seafood from other prefectures to radioactivity testing. Despite these restrictions, China was the largest buyer of Japanese seafood exports in terms of value last year.
Hong Kong, which falls under Chinese rule, has announced plans to impose import controls on aquatic products from high-risk prefectures during the water release. China has also pledged to enhance monitoring of the ocean and marine products in response to the release. While South Korea has increased monitoring efforts, it has not threatened to expand its bans on Japanese products. In China, there have been calls for boycotts of Japanese products, briefly impacting the share price of Japanese cosmetics maker Shiseido.