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| Locally caught seafood is displayed for sale at the Hamanoeki fish market and food court in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, August 31. (Source: Reuters) |
On September 26, Russia's food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said it was considering the possibility of joining China in banning seafood imports from Japan after the country discharged treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea and was seeking to negotiate with Tokyo on the issue.
Rosselkhoznadzor confirmed that it had sent a request to Japan to hold negotiations and provide information about its radiation testing of exported fish products by October 16.
“In connection with possible risks due to radioactive contamination of products, Rosselkhoznadzor is considering the possibility of joining China’s restrictions on the supply of fish products from Japan,” the agency said in a statement.
Rosselkhoznadzor said it had discussed Japanese food exports with Chinese partners. Russia is one of the largest seafood suppliers to China and is looking to increase its market share.
According to the Russian agency, the final decision will be made after negotiations with Tokyo. Since the beginning of 2023, Russia has imported 118 tons of seafood from Japan.
For its part, Japan says the wastewater is safe after being treated to remove most radioactive elements except tritium, a radioactive nucleus that is difficult to separate from water. The water is then diluted to internationally accepted levels before being discharged.
Tokyo says criticism from Moscow and Beijing has no scientific basis
Japan began releasing wastewater from the plant into the ocean last month, drawing strong criticism from China. In retaliation, Beijing imposed a total ban on all seafood imports from the Land of the Rising Sun.
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