China agree to start procedures for resuming seafood imports from Japan

By Alimat Aliyeva

China has agreed to initiate procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood, which were banned in August 2023 following Japan's controversial release of treated water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Azernews reports.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Chinese authorities are expected to soon issue a formal notice easing the ban and begin the registration process for Japanese seafood processing companies. This regulatory process is anticipated to take several months.

The original ban stemmed from public health concerns after Japan began discharging treated but still mildly radioactive water into the ocean. This water had accumulated at the Fukushima plant site over more than a decade since the disaster.

The Fukushima crisis began in March 2011 when a massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan. The disaster knocked out power and cooling systems at the Fukushima-1 (Daiichi) nuclear plant, leading to the meltdown of fuel in three reactors, building explosions, and a significant release of radioactive material into the environment. Cleanup and decommissioning have been ongoing ever since.

Currently, over 1.34 million tons of water — used to cool the melted reactor cores — has accumulated at the site. Although treated using an Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) to remove most radioactive substances, the water still contains tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that cannot be filtered out. According to the Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the released water meets international safety standards, with tritium levels diluted to a maximum of 1,500 becquerels per liter — well below global health guidelines.

To address international concerns, Japan has implemented rigorous monitoring protocols, with the IAEA conducting independent assessments. So far, no abnormalities have been detected in marine life or ocean water near the discharge site.

The decision by China to move toward lifting the ban marks a significant thaw in trade tensions and could have broader implications for regional diplomacy and food security. Japan has long argued that the seafood from its waters remains safe and of high quality, a view supported by assessments from multiple international agencies and partner nations.

In the meantime, Japan continues to promote transparency in its handling of the Fukushima cleanup, including real-time data sharing and scientific cooperation with neighboring countries. If China fully lifts the ban, it could pave the way for other nations still hesitant about Japanese seafood to reconsider their positions.