China resumes seafood imports from some Japan regions

China has announced the resumption of seafood imports from certain regions of Japan, effectively ending a nearly two-year ban that was put in place due to concerns over the release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The announcement, made by China Customs on Sunday, specifies that seafood products from ten Japanese prefectures—Fukushima, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, Saitama, Tokyo, and Chiba—will remain prohibited from entering China. This decision comes after a thorough assessment, where Chinese customs officials reported no abnormalities following extensive international and independent sampling and monitoring of the discharged wastewater from Fukushima. The initial ban imposed in August 2023 was a direct response to Japan's controversial decision to start releasing the treated wastewater, which had sparked significant diplomatic tensions and economic repercussions between the two nations.

Under the new regulations, seafood imports from the remaining regions will require various certifications, including health certificates, radioactive substance detection qualification certificates, and production area certificates issued by the Japanese government to facilitate customs clearance in China. The recent notice emphasizes that Chinese customs will enforce strict oversight on Japanese seafood imports, and any infractions of Chinese laws, regulations, or food safety standards will result in appropriate actions. This development marks a significant shift in trade relations between China and Japan, highlighting a cautious approach to trade resumption while maintaining a focus on food safety and public health concerns related to nuclear contamination fears.