Japan resumes seafood exports to China 2 years after Fukushima wastewater release

TOKYO (AP) — Japan announced Friday that its seafood exports have resumed for the first time since China imposed a ban over the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant more than two years ago.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters that 6 metric tons (6.6 tons) of scallops harvested in Hokkaido were shipped to China on Wednesday, the first shipment to that country since Beijing banned Japanese seafood in August 2023.

Beijing announced in June that it would ease the ban and prepare for the resumption of imports, following repeated negotiations between the two sides.

The ban was a major blow to Japan’s seafood industry, especially scallop and seafood cucumber exports. China was the biggest overseas market for Japanese seafood.

“The government takes the development as a positive move,” Kihara said as he called on China to continue to re-register pending applications for Japanese seafood exporters.

A ban remains in place for seafood from Fukushima and nine nearby prefectures, which China imposed immediately after the plant’s meltdowns.

Kihara said Japan will also continue to urge Beijing to lift the remaining bans and resume importing Japanese beef.

The Fukushima Daiichi plant suffered triple meltdowns following a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011, causing leaks of massive radioactive wastewater that need to be stored in tanks.

The utility won Japanese government approval and support from the International Atomic Energy Agency for the gradual release of the water into the sea after treatment and dilution. Japanese officials said the wastewater would be much safer than international standards and the IAEA comprehensive report later confirmed that the discharges meet international safety standards..