Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, more than two years after imports of Japanese seafood were completely suspended by the Chinese government due to the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s wastewater discharge into the ocean, imports from Japan have been permitted to resume. However, only a small number of Japanese exporters are currently authorized to export seafood to China, while hundreds more are still awaiting approval.
In August 2023, the Japanese government approved Tokyo Electric Power Company’s decision to dump treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the near sea. China, citing safety concerns, imposed a comprehensive ban on Japanese seafood. Following a summit meeting between the two countries’ leaders, China announced in June of this year that it would allow the resumption of seafood imports from 37 Japanese regions. However, agricultural and seafood products from ten other regions, including Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, remain banned.
However, after China announced the lifting of restrictions in June, 697 Japanese companies submitted applications for registration and provided test samples. As of now, only three Japanese companies had passed the tests for tritium and other radioactive substances.
Before the Chinese ban, China was Japan’s largest export market for seafood, accounting for 22.5 percent of Japan’s total seafood exports. If Hong Kong’s 19.5 percent is included, the export volume to China reaches 42 percent.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, November 7, 2025, 2025
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/world/story20251107-7786359