China To Open Import Faucet For Acquatic Products After 2 Years Ban Due To Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Waste

JAKARTA - The Chinese government is in the process of reopening the tap for importing aquatic products from Japan after almost two years of banning these activities due to the manufacture of processed waste water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN).

"In accordance with relevant domestic laws and international trade rules, authorities authorized to study Japan's request to continue importing Japanese aquatic products based on science and security principles," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday, May 30, reported by ANTARA.

On Wednesday (28/5), the General Administration of Chinese Customs held a follow-up meeting with Japanese-related institutions in Beijing to discuss technical rules regarding the safety of Japan's aquatic products and achieve substantial progress.

"Based on international monitoring of the exhaust sea water of PLTN Fukushima, it was found that there were no abnormalities in the results of sampling and independent testing by China so that China and Japan continued to consult on the safety of aquatic products from Japan," added Lin Jian.

Japan, said Lin Jian, promised to take credible and tangible steps to ensure the quality and safety of its aquatic products and ensure that the product meets China's food safety regulations and standards.

Previously, Japanese Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the agreement was reached after officials met in Beijing and imports would resume after the required documents were completed.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya also welcomed the move, saying it was the first step that would help Japan and China to address a number of remaining problems between the two countries.

However, officials said China still bans agricultural and fishery products from 10 Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima Miyagi, and Tokyo.

China's General Administration of Customs and Excise said China and Japan on Wednesday (28/5) had held a "new rounds of technical exchanges on issues of safety of Japan's aquatic products and made substantial progress," but did not mention the deal.

China blocks imports of aquatic products from Japan because it says releasing the already processed and diluted wastewater still contains a little radioactive that will endanger the fishing industry and coastal communities in eastern China.

But Japanese officials say the processed wastewater is safer than international standards. Wastewater must also be released to provide space for the cessation of nuclear plant operations and to prevent accidental leaks.

Beijing and Tokyo have held three rounds of talks since March 2025 on the issue of importing these aquatic products before reaching an agreement on the "technical requirements" needed so that Japanese seafood exports to China can resume, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

China was once the largest overseas market for Japanese seafood, covering more than a fifth of its seafood exports, followed by Hong Kong. The ban on imports of aquatic products from Japan since August 24, 2023 has been a blow to the Japanese fishing industry.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear country's power plant, has said it will provide appropriate compensation to Japanese business owners for losses due to the export ban.

PLTN Fukushima was badly damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Waste water from PLTN was then processed and diluted with seawater to reduce the radiative component as much as possible before starting to be dumped into the sea in August 2023.

People both inside and outside Japan protested against the disposal of the wastewater. Japanese fishing groups said they were worried it would further damage the reputation of their seafood. Groups in China and South Korea also expressed concern.

However, after China's research institute completed an analysis test of samples taken independently in February 25 in waters around PLTN Fukushima Daiichi, it was stated that there were no radionuclide concentrations including tritium, cesium-134, cesium-137, and strontium-90 in the sample.