Fukushima discharge row: China's import of Japanese seafood down by over 67% in August
File photo.
China's imports of Japanese seafood fell by over 67 per cent in August over the Fukushima water discharge row. According to a report by NHK World on Monday (September 18), Chinese customs authorities said the value of such imports was $20.4 million. The fall was much sharper than the roughly 30 per cent drop in July, the report added.
The Japanese government started releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea last month, sparking international concerns, especially from China which banned all seafood imports from Japan.
The Japanese government said that China has been the world's top importer of Japanese seafood. The NHK World report further said that imports of Japanese seafood last year were worth about $590 million.
IAEA, Japan agree on continuous safety review of water discharge
On Monday, the United Nations (UN) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Japan signed an agreement setting out the full scope of the agency’s comprehensive and continuous safety review of the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
"The IAEA has been reviewing the safety of Japan’s plan on how to handle the treated water since it was first announced in 2021 and today’s agreement focuses on the Agency’s long-term activities during the discharge itself," a statement from the IAEA said.
The agreement has identified five main areas of the UN Atomic Agency's safety review work, including conducting onsite analysis, protecting people and the environment and sharing key information with the public.
The statement also said that these areas would enable the IAEA to check that the relevant international safety standards are constantly applied during the discharge, backed up with real-time and other monitoring data on its website.
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