China today informed Japan that it would ban all imports of Japanese seafood, media outlets reported — a decision that comes amid an escalating diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
Tensions between the countries ignited after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response.
China has demanded she retract the remarks and urged its citizens not to travel to Japan, resulting in mass cancelations that could deal a sizable blow to the economy.
Photo: Reuters
The latest pain point for Japan comes after Beijing just months ago partially eased restrictions on Japanese seafood that had been imposed due to Tokyo's decision to release treated wastewater from its Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2023.
China has told Japan that the reimposition of the ban was due to the need for further monitoring of the water release, Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources.
China's Ministry of Commerce and Customs Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Representatives for Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries were not immediately available for comment.
Facing a wave of vitriolic responses by a Chinese diplomat in Japan and Chinese state media aimed at Takaichi, Japan warned its citizens in China on Monday to step up safety precautions and avoid crowded places.
Tokyo has said Takaichi's remarks in parliament are in line with the government's position.
China had said in June that it would resume importing Japanese seafood products from all but 10 of Japan's 47 prefectures.
The reimposition would be a painful blow for many companies eager to re-enter a market that previously accounted for more than a fifth of all Japan's seafood exports.
Nearly 700 Japanese exporters had applied to reregister for shipments to China, Japanese Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki told reporters yesterday.
However, only three had been approved to date.
Before the 2023 ban, China was Japan's top scallop buyer and a major importer of sea cucumbers.
More immediately, China's travel boycott could have far-reaching consequences for Japan's shaky economy.
Tourism accounts for about 7 percent of Japan's overall GDP, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, and has been a major driver of growth in recent years.
Visitors from China and Hong Kong account for about a fifth of all arrivals, official figures show.
More than 10 Chinese airlines have offered refunds on Japan-bound routes until Dec. 31, with one airline analyst estimating that about 500,000 tickets have already been canceled.
A person at a state-owned Chinese bank said staff were informally told by managers yesterday that requests to travel to Japan would not be approved for the time being.
The person declined to be named due to sensitivity of the matter.
An annual meeting of academics from both countries due to start in Beijing on Saturday has also been postponed, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
An event promoting Japan–China friendship scheduled for Friday in Hiroshima has also been canceled.
China has suspended the screenings of upcoming Japanese films, and Japanese celebrities popular there have tried to pre-empt any potential backlash with messages showing their support for China.
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