Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported today: "China is about to resume imports of Japanese aquatic products." China said that substantial progress has been made in the Sino-Japanese negotiations. Japan also stated that China agreed to resume imports of Japanese aquatic products after completing the "necessary procedures." This marks the impending lifting of the trade ban which has lasted for nearly two years. However, this time only aquatic products from outside the 10 prefectures will be resumed for import, and the Japanese government will continue to request the revocation of import restrictions on the 10 prefectures.
China is the largest export market for Japanese aquatic products. This restoration of exports will apply to aquatic products from areas outside the 10 prefectures including Fukushima, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Nagano, and Niigata. This agreement was reached against the backdrop of efforts by both governments to ease tensions caused by the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2023.
According to reports by the "Nikkei Asian Review," under the measures agreed upon by both sides, Japan will register aquatic product processing facilities with China and attach a test certificate when exporting to confirm that the products do not contain radioactive materials such as cesium-137.
In terms of food safety, China has always paid high attention to the issue of imported food safety. These measures aim to ensure the quality and safety of aquatic products entering China and eliminate Chinese consumers' concerns over food safety. At the same time, China will inevitably strengthen its inspection and quarantine efforts on imported Japanese aquatic products to ensure the "food safety" of domestic consumers. However, the Japanese government continues to request the revocation of import restrictions on the 10 prefectures, and subsequent negotiations still face challenges. The Chinese side will consider based on scientific evidence, food safety standards, and public concerns. If Japan cannot fully ensure the safety of the marine environment and food safety in the follow-up handling of the nuclear sewage discharge issue, it will be difficult to achieve a full lifting of import restrictions.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833519520982019/
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