China Bans Food Processing Using Japanese Fishery Products

Jiji Press

10:48 JST, August 26, 2023

BEIJING (Jiji Press) — China’s State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday notified processed food makers and others that it will ban them from procuring or using Japanese fishery products to make processed food for sale.

The move followed the blanket ban on imports of Japanese fishery products announced by China’s customs authorities in response to the discharge of treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant from Thursday.

The Chinese government strongly opposes the release of the treated water, which still contains tritium, a radioactive substance, into the Pacific Ocean, saying that the water is “nuclear-contaminated.”

The State Administration for Market Regulation said Japan has ignored the doubts and objections of the international community by going ahead with the water release plan.

The organization said it will strengthen its monitoring of distribution and other activities, underscoring its readiness to strictly crack down on those violating the ban.

It also said it will closely monitor changes in salt prices. China is being hit by hoarding of salt driven by fears that the release of the treated water could pollute the sea.