Russia Joins China in Banning Japanese Seafood
The release of water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant triggered strong reactions from neighboring countries. Now Russia is following China's lead.
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The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Rusia Gabung China Larang Makanan Laut Jepang
Fishermen perform loading and unloading of catches at the Matsukawaura dock in Soma, Fukushima, on September 1st, 2023.
MOSCOW, MONDAY - Russia announced on Monday (16/10/2023) that it will ban all imports of seafood from Japan, following the release of radioactive-contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. This policy follows China's decision to ban all seafood imports from Japan at the end of August 2023.
The agricultural product regulatory agency of Russia, Rosselkhoznadzor, stated that the measures implemented on Monday are precautionary actions. The ban remains in effect until it is confirmed that the safety of Japanese seafood products is guaranteed.
Also read: Japan and China heat up because of Fukushima nuclear power plant waste disposal
In late August, the Chinese government criticized the disposal of Fukushima waste, calling it a selfish and irresponsible act.
Amid the controversy surrounding the release of nuclear waste from the Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and three Cabinet Ministers enjoyed sashimi on Wednesday (30/8/2023).
According to Rosselkhoznadzor, from January-September, Russia imported 118 metric tons of fish and seafood from Japan. Most of Russia's own fish and seafood is also caught in the waters of the far eastern region that is relatively close to Japan.
Japan began the first stage of releasing contaminated water from Fukushima on August 24th, 2023. They claimed the action was safe because the wastewater had been treated before being released into the Pacific Ocean. The second stage began on October 5th, 2023. The release of this waste is also considered safe by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to the Japanese authorities, the water has been processed to remove radioactive substances and only tritium remains. The water is then diluted with seawater before being released. This step is taken to ensure that the level of radioactivity does not exceed 1,500 becquerels per liter. This figure is considered to be 40 times lower than the Japanese standard for radioactivity.
Various Japanese seafood products were displayed in a seafood seller's store. Several countries have banned or limited the import of Japanese seafood products following the dumping of radioactive water waste from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
In total, Tokyo plans to release 1.3 million cubic meters of Fukushima’s wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. This amount is equivalent to around 540 Olympic swimming pools. Disposal will be carried out gradually until 2050.
This water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant is the water from the explosion of three reactors in Fukushima-Daiichi in 2011. The reactors in northeast Japan exploded following a large earthquake and tsunami that killed approximately 18,000 people in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Japan Insists that Processed Water from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant is Still Within Safe Limits
Although the Japanese authorities have claimed safety, this move has triggered strong reactions from neighboring countries, especially China. Fisheries products account for less than 1% of Japan's global trade. However, China is the largest export destination for seafood and fisheries products from Japan.
According to data from Japan's Customs and Tariff Bureau, the value of Japan's seafood exports to China reached over 500 million US dollars in 2022. China is the largest destination market for Japan's seafood exports, followed by Hong Kong.
A group of technicians are testing nuclear radiation in seafood products at a laboratory in South Korea. The testing is to monitor the exposure of radioactive waste from the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor dumped into the Pacific Ocean at the end of August 2023.
After the release of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, aquatic product exports heading to China experienced their first decline in 2.5 years. Goods that were scheduled to be shipped to China also face stricter inspections since Japan announced its plan to release water from Fukushima, thus slowing down the delivery process.
Baseless
On Monday, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries stated that the ban implemented by Russia has no scientific basis. The decision was deemed unfair and regrettable. They urged for the ban to be lifted. This was reported by Kyodo news agency.
The information includes methods for examining radioactive materials, including scientific evidence related to tritium in aquatic products and the safety of Japanese aquatic products.
"Japan will continue to provide explanations based on scientific evidence to Russia in a very transparent manner and with good intentions, while undergoing review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," said the statement.
Before Russia announced the ban, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided additional information to Russia on October 15th. The information includes methods of inspecting radioactive materials, including scientific evidence regarding tritium in aquatic products, and the safety of Japanese aquatic products. The information was provided after a virtual dialogue between relevant government agencies on October 10th.
Residents protested at the beach near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, as the release of Fukushima's treated water containing radioactive waste began on Thursday (24/8/2023).
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Marine Environmental Laboratory will visit Japan from October 16-23 to examine the release of water from Fukushima. In addition to the IAEA, independent laboratories from Canada, China, and South Korea will also participate in monitoring this year.
Meanwhile, Beijing accused Tokyo of not proving the authenticity and accuracy of nuclear radioactive waste data. They also accused Japan of not providing authentic and accurate data that the release of water into the sea is not harmful to the marine environment and human health.
A child was seen at a Japanese restaurant in Beijing, China on August 27, 2023, holding a poster with the words "Suspend all sales of imported fish from Japan."
To alleviate the impact of the loss of seafood demand, Japan has allocated more than 100 billion yen or around 682 million US dollars to support the domestic fishing industry.
Japan has also filed a report to the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding China's import ban. They stated that China's action is completely unacceptable and will explain their position in WTO committees to urge China to lift the ban. Japan has also asked China to hold a discussion regarding the import ban based on provisions in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement. (AFP/AP/REUTERS)
