After lifting the ban, Japan's seafood exports still target non-Chinese markets

Published 2024년 10월 22일

Tridge summary

In 2023, the Chinese Communist Party imposed a ban on Japanese aquatic product imports, including scallops, due to concerns over wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. This resulted in a 45% drop in exports to China from September 2023 to the following year. Despite a proposed agreement for China to gradually resume imports and Japan's efforts to diversify its sales channels, companies remain hesitant to return to previous export volumes. There has been a shift in focus to markets outside China, with a notable increase in exports to the United States and ASEAN countries. The Japan External Trade Organization is supporting Hokkaido seafood companies in expanding their global reach, witnessing growth in exports to these alternative markets.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

In August 2023, the Chinese Communist Party began banning Japanese aquatic product imports due to the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s wastewater discharge into the sea. From September 2023 to August this year, exports fell 45% year-on-year. The wholesale price of scallops fell 20-30%. Scallops are Japan’s top seafood export, and China was once the largest destination, accounting for half of the total. In September, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan and China had reached an agreement to clean up Fukushima wastewater, and Beijing agreed to gradually resume seafood imports from Japan. However, some companies still don’t believe shipments will recover. “We don’t expect export volumes to return to pre-ban levels,” said the head of a scallop processing company. “Considering the potential risks, we won’t export to China for now.” Companies plan to further diversify sales channels. In response to falling demand, some companies are expanding sales channels through e-commerce ...

Source: Fishretail