PM Kishida Asks China To Revoke The Prohibition Of Imports Of Japanese Seafood Products After PLTN Fukushima Waste Water Release

Illustration of sales of Japanese marine products. (Wikimedia Commons/Raita Futo)

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he had asked China to immediately lift the ban on importing all seafood products from Japan, following the release of treated radioactive waste water from PLTN Fukushima Daiichi to the Pacific Ocean.

Japan began a gradual disposal process of treated radioactive wastewater from PLTN Fukusuma on Thursday, despite concerns among local fishermen and some neighboring countries.

China called the water disposal a "very selfish and irresponsible" act. On Thursday, Beijing announced it would suspend imports of all seafood products from Japan. China has previously carried out comprehensive radiation testing of seafood from the neighboring country.

"We have requested the revocation of (import ban) through diplomatic channels. We strongly encourage discussions among experts based on scientific reasons," PM Kishida told reporters at his office, reported by Kyodo News Aug. 25.

For the first stage, about 7,800 cubic meters of wastewater will be disposed of, equivalent to about three Olympic swimming pools. This process will last about 17 days, with the overall process of draining water from the PLTN estimated at 30 years, as quoted by Reuters.

The export value of Japanese marine products to China reached 600 million US dollars last year, or the largest export market in the Land of the Rising Sun, followed by Hong Kong in second place. Government data show exports to the two regions cover 42 percent of the total exports of Japanese marine products last year.

Separately, Tomoaki Kobayashi, president of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. power generation operator, (TEPCO) in a statement shared yesterday pledged to "provide appropriate compensation for domestic business actors who suffer losses to export bans due to the release of wastewater.