The ban on Japanese seafood exports to China has been officially lifted. Japanese Agriculture Minister Noriyuki Suzuki announced at a press conference on the 7th that approximately 6 tons of frozen scallops from Hokkaido have already been shipped to China. According to Kyodo News, related sources revealed that salted sea cucumbers from Aomori Prefecture will be exported to China on November 10. In August 2023, China had completely suspended imports of Japanese seafood due to the discharge of treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
In June this year, China announced the resumption of imports of Japanese seafood products from outside the ten prefectures including Miyagi and Fukushima. The two governments are working on relevant procedures to promote seafood exports.
According to relevant sources, the frozen scallops were shipped to China by sea on the 5th of this month. It is expected that the salted sea cucumbers will be exported by air. Exports to China require approval from the Chinese side for the registration of related Japanese facilities, as well as the submission of radioactive substance inspection certificates. A total of 697 companies have applied, but currently only 3 are approved for export.
At the press conference, Suzuki emphasized that, regarding the lifting of import restrictions on seafood from the remaining ten prefectures and the resumption of Japanese beef exports to China, “we will continue to urge the Chinese side to respond based on scientific grounds.”
On October 31, at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and requested smooth export of seafood products. She also called for consultations to restore beef exports and lift the export bans on products from the ten prefectures.