China partially lifts ban on Japanese seafood imports.
China has partially lifted its two-year ban on seafood imports from Japan, easing restrictions imposed following the discharge of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
According to a statement from China’s General Administration of Customs on 29 June, imports will “conditionally resume” from 37 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Tokyo and Fukushima remain among the ten excluded regions.
The ban was originally introduced in 2023, shortly after Japan began the long-term release of treated water from the damaged Fukushima facility into the Pacific Ocean. The discharge, which has been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is expected to continue for up to three decades.
China, formerly Japan’s largest seafood export market, cited environmental concerns at the time. Its customs authority now states that long-term sampling of the discharged water has “not shown abnormalities”.
Japanese officials welcomed the decision as “positive” and said efforts will continue to restore full market access. Exporters seeking to resume shipments must re-register with Chinese authorities and will be subject to regulatory oversight.
China and Japan maintain significant trade ties, despite longstanding diplomatic tensions.