Key Facts
• June 30, 2025: Japan announces China’s decision to resume seafood imports.
• Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Shinjiro Koizumi, calls it a “significant milestone.”
• China maintains bans on seafood from 10 prefectures, including Tokyo and Fukushima.
• Japan plans to support seafood exporters with facility registration in China.
• Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki emphasizes lifting restrictions on 10 prefectures.
• Japan also seeks to resume beef exports to China.
• Uncertainty remains over whether export volumes will return to pre-ban levels.
• Japan has expanded seafood export markets to Southeast Asia during the ban.
• Aoki states predicting immediate recovery of Chinese exports is “difficult.”
Summary
China’s decision to resume imports of Japanese seafood marks a significant milestone for Japan, as highlighted by Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. However, bans on seafood from 10 prefectures, including Tokyo and Fukushima, remain in place. Japan aims to push for the removal of these restrictions and the resumption of beef exports to China. While the government plans to assist exporters with facility registration in China, uncertainties linger over whether export volumes will recover to pre-ban levels. During the ban, Japan diversified its seafood export markets, particularly in Southeast Asia. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki acknowledged the challenges in predicting the immediate recovery of exports to China.
