‘Totally Unacceptable’: Japan Protests China’s Fukushima-Related Seafood Ban at WTO

A sign reading "Suspend the sale of all fish products imported from Japan"is displayed in an area of Japanese restaurants in Beijing on Aug. 27, 2023. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images

Japan has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against China’s ban on Japanese seafood in response to the release of treated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.

China announced a blanket ban on all Japanese aquatic products after Japan began releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima power plant on Aug. 24.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sept. 4 that it had submitted a counterargument to the WTO—which oversees the rules for global trade—explaining the safety of the treated radioactive water release.

The ministry says Beijing’s import ban is “totally unacceptable” and urges the Chinese government to repeal its measure. It added that Japan would continue to explain its position to relevant WTO committees.

In the document (pdf), the ministry emphasized that Japan’s standard for the release of tritium, which is less than 22 trillion becquerels per year, is lower than those released by China’s nuclear reactors.

“For instance, the amount of tritium to be released annually from [Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station] is approximately one-tenth of the amount of tritium released from Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in China,” the ministry stated.

“China adopted the measure to suspend the import of all aquatic products from Japan notwithstanding the above-mentioned scientific information provided by Japan. Thus, China’s implementation of the measure cannot be regarded as being based on scientific principles.”

In a separate statement on Sept. 4, the ministry said it requested a discussion with China regarding the import ban in accordance with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade pact.

“It is extremely regretful that China has taken these measures, and Japan has been urging China to immediately repeal its measures,” the ministry stated.

Fishery workers unload seafood caught in offshore trawl fishing at Matsukawaura port in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 1, 2023. JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images

The Japanese Embassy in Beijing says that since the start of the treated water’s discharge, harassment toward Japanese parties has escalated. Activities planned at the embassy have been postponed due to a deluge of hostile phone calls originating from China.

Namazu Hiroyuki, director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveyed Japan’s formal complaint to Yang Yu, China’s deputy ambassador to Japan.

Japan PM Pledges to Protect Fishery Industry

In a phone call on Aug. 27, Mr. Hiroyuki expressed “profound regret and concern” over China’s actions regarding the release of Fukushima’s treated wastewater. He also pressed for Beijing to disseminate factual information concerning the treated nuclear water.

On Aug. 27, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s minister of economy, trade, and industry, emphasized the importance of transparency in an interview with NHK.

“We’ve already released data for the past two days, revealing tritium levels that are even below detectable limits,” he said.

On Aug. 30, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, along with three Cabinet ministers, ate a selection of sashimi to show its safety. They ate flounder, octopus, and sea bass that were freshly caught off the Fukushima coast.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida eats seafood from Fukushima Prefecture at lunch at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 30, 2023. Cabinet Public Affairs Office via AP

Mr. Kishida announced a 20.7 billion yen ($140 million) emergency fund on Sept. 4 to help exporters hit by China’s ban on Japanese seafood and pledged “to protect the Japanese fisheries industry at all costs.”

The money will be used to find new markets for Japanese seafood to replace China and fund government purchases of seafood for temporary freezing and storage. The government also will seek to expand domestic seafood consumption.

Officials said they plan to cultivate new destinations in Taiwan, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and some Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

Mainland China is the biggest overseas market for Japanese seafood, accounting for 22.5 percent, followed by Hong Kong at 20 percent, making the ban a major blow to the fisheries industry.

US ‘Stands Firmly’ With Japan

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel visited the Fukushima region on Aug. 31 and had a seafood lunch with the mayor of Soma City to show his support.

Mr. Emanuel told reporters that he had “no reservations” about the safety of his activities and engagements in Soma City, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Japan.

“The United States stands firmly with Japan, especially when contrasted with China’s overtly political decision to ban all Japanese seafood imports and past failures in openness and scientific cooperation,” he said.

The Fukushima Daiichi plant was destroyed in March 2011 after a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake generated powerful tsunami waves, causing meltdowns in three reactors.

According to plant operator TEPCO, the water discharge will contain about 190 becquerels of tritium per liter, which is below the World Health Organization’s drinking water limit of 10,000 becquerels per liter. A becquerel is a unit of radioactivity.

Jon Sun, Sean Tseng, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.