China has told Japan its blanket radiation testing on seafood imports from the neighboring country introduced last month is "a necessary measure" to protect its consumers, according to sources familiar with the bilateral relationship.
The testing is believed to have been adopted to pressure Tokyo over its plan to begin releasing treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea, possibly from late August.
Beijing has communicated through diplomatic channels its practice of detaining seafood imports from Japan at customs for up to a month before clearance. Meanwhile, Tokyo has expressed renewed concerns about this procedure, urging for "appropriate" customs processes, according to the sources.
In addition to seafood, other food and beverage items, including rice, from Japan have faced delays at Chinese customs following the introduction of blanket testing.
The two Asian neighbors have had several rounds of consultations over the across-the-board testing of seafood items at Chinese customs, with Beijing claiming it "needs to prevent imports of radiation-contaminated Japanese food products," the sources said.
In those sessions, China did not elaborate on concrete steps taken by customs authorities regarding food imports other than marine products, they added.
China has prohibited food imports from Fukushima and nine other Japanese prefectures since a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a major accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
If the water discharge begins, Beijing could further tighten controls on food imports from Japan.
The International Atomic Energy Agency concluded in a report submitted to the Japanese government in July that the planned Fukushima water release aligns with global safety standards and will have "a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment."
However, China has contended that the IAEA did not adequately represent the perspectives of the participating experts in their review and remains opposed to the planned water discharge.
© KYODO
17 Comments
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Samit Basu
China has the sovereign right to test all incoming Japanese seafood.
buua
Japan should test all food imports from China to protect the consumers.
Moonraker
It's not as if Japan has no record of pointless tests on imports to prevent them. The incentive may be different but using "safety" as an excuse has long been in Japan's industrial policy armoury.
isabelle
Yeah, of course it is. This is the same China that has a long history of food scandals, and a severe lack of regulation in any industry, such as its buildings and bridges regularly collapsing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safety_incidents_in_China
And the idea of the Chinese government wanting to protect its citizens is laughable, when it will happily beat and arrest them simply for wanting a vote, or commit genocide on them simply for being Muslim.
This "testing" a purely political move by China, as always.
WiseOneIn Kansai
More ECONOMIC BULLYING from China, another one on the list.
China's reputation in the world just keeps sliding down.
Rodney
please search Belt and Road Initiative and BRICKS. 60% of world population. Whiteys are less than 10%.
gcFd1
China has prohibited food imports from Fukushima and nine other Japanese prefectures since a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a major accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
This is one move by China with which I agree.
CuteUsagi
If China is so worried, why did they sell very bad baby powders and dog foods
WiseOneIn Kansai
@rodney
Oh, Belt and Road Initiative. China's version of neo-colonialism!!
Yes, we know about China's DEBT-TRAP DIPLOMACY!! (It's even under Wikipedia)
Whiteys??? You are bad, however I won't drop to you level.
elephant200
Just protection of Chinese consumer rights, please don't interrupting China's practice of food safety and the Chinese justice system. This matter should not be politically focused!
OssanAmerica
It's entirely political. Nobody with half a brain believes otherwise.
virusrex
What experts were not represented properly? what are the scientific arguments that are being supposedly ignored?
Once the scientific authority is recognized the only arguments that should matter are also scientific, without them the measures being taken are still baseless.
WA4TKG
Here’s something about china that explains their International Ethics.
https://youtu.be/N4DaOxf13O0
Coulda been
Didn't seem to worry them about their own locally produced baby formula.
Chottobaka
Chinese food safety is laughable. This is the same government that allows the use of gutter oil and rat meat masquerading as lamb, The so-called testing for food safety is nothing more than punitive action for Japan's political alignment with the USA.
2020hindsights
So why aren't they testing their own food?
2020hindsights
elephant200
Except that it's non-existent.