The value of Japan’s seafood exports to China fell 23.2 percent in July from a year earlier to 7.7 billion yen ($52 million), government data showed on Tuesday after the neighbor’s blanket radiation testing began that month.
Exports of the commodity, particularly scallops, fell for the first time since January 2021 as Beijing tightened its inspections before releasing treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said. and fisheries.
A file photo taken in Sarufutsu, Hokkaido in March 2021 shows scallops from Hokkaido. (Kyoto)
Despite concerns from neighbors like China, Japan moved forward with draining water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant in late August. Subsequently, China stopped importing all seafood products from Japan.
Such a ban would see a further drop in seafood exports to China for the month of August, ministry officials said.
Tuna was among the products significantly affected by China’s radiation testing, which extended customs procedures.
Total exports of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products for July fell 20.8 percent to 22.5 billion yen, the data showed.
Total exports of such products to Hong Kong fell 2.9 percent, while exports of seafood alone fell 11.0 percent.
The total value of Japan’s food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries exports fell 0.03 percent to 117.8 billion yen, marking the first decline in six months, due to the impact of China’s stricter inspections.
The cuts will affect the ministry’s goal of raising annual exports to 2 trillion yen by 2025.
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