China and Japan are closing in on a deal that would see the return of Japanese seafood imports to the Chinese market following a nearly two-year trade ban.
Tokyo said on Friday that the two sides are finalising details following a successful meeting in Beijing this week.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that officials had “reached an agreement on the technical requirements necessary to resume exports of fishery products to China”.
“Exports to China will resume as soon as the re-registration process for export-related facilities is completed,” Hayashi said, hailing the pending deal as a “milestone.”
China banned Japanese seafood imports in August 2023 after Japan released more than 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive wastewater from the former Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The power plant was destroyed during Japan’s infamous 2011 earthquake and tsunami, when three of its six nuclear reactors collapsed.
While the safety of the wastewater release was backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the move was controversial with neighbours like China.
China’s General Administration of Customs said on Friday that exports will resume once the “necessary procedures” are completed after “substantial progress” was made during negotiations.
The deal lays out several new procedures for Japan, whose fish processing facilities will be required to register with China.
Exporters will also need to include certificates of inspection guaranteeing that seafood has been checked for radioactive material, according to Japanese officials.
Chinese restrictions will remain on agricultural and marine exports from 10 Japanese prefectures due to concerns dating back to the 2011 accident.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa said Tokyo would continue to push China to lift any remaining restrictions.
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