China has partially lifted its ban on seafood imports from Japan, easing restrictions imposed in 2023 over environmental concerns tied to the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
The decision, announced by China’s General Administration of Customs on 29 June, allows imports to resume from 37 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, but maintains the ban on seafood from 10 regions including Fukushima and Tokyo.
China cited long-term monitoring data that showed “no abnormalities” in radiation levels from water discharged at the Fukushima site.
The plant was severely damaged by a tsunami in 2011, leading to the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. More than a million tonnes of treated wastewater had accumulated at the facility before Japan began releasing it into the Pacific Ocean last year a process supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency and expected to continue for decades.
While most global experts consider the discharge to be safe, China was among the countries that immediately banned seafood imports from Japan, citing safety risks and environmental hazards. Before the ban, China was Japan’s largest seafood market, accounting for nearly 25% of its exports.
Japan has welcomed the partial reversal, calling it a “positive” step and urging China to lift restrictions on the remaining prefectures.
Companies affected by the earlier ban must now reapply for registration to export seafood to China and will be subject to increased supervision, Chinese officials said.
Though China and Japan are close trading partners, their relationship remains tense due to historical grievances and ongoing territorial disputes.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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