China agrees to procedures for restarting Japanese seafood imports

China has agreed on procedures to restart imports of Japanese seafood, Japan’s government announced on Friday, marking a step towards ending a trade ban that has lasted for approximately two years.

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China’s General Administration of Customs reached the agreement during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. The ministry added that seafood exports to China are anticipated to resume once China completes the “necessary procedures.”

China’s General Administration of Customs stated that “significant progress” has been achieved between the two nations following a series of discussions concerning Japanese seafood trade.

This agreement materializes as both governments endeavor to alleviate tensions arising from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, described the agreement as an “important milestone” during a regular press conference.

“We will continue our calls for Japan to resume beef exports to China and for the lifting of import restrictions on agricultural and seafood products from ten prefectures, including Fukushima and Tokyo,” Hayashi added. The aforementioned prefectures were not included in this particular agreement.

The Ministry of Agriculture detailed that under the agreed measures, Japan will register its fisheries processing facilities with Chinese authorities. Furthermore, inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances will accompany all exports.

Nikkei Asia, which previously reported on this development, indicated that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future.

China had imposed a ban on Japanese seafood imports shortly after Tokyo commenced the release of treated wastewater from Fukushima into the sea, a decision that precipitated diplomatic and economic strains.