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Japan has approached South Korea about resuming imports of seafood from areas near the Fukushima nuclear plant, which Seoul has banned since the disaster.
According to Kyodo News on the 8th, the Japanese government asked South Korea to establish a new regular consultative body to discuss, at the working level, lifting import restrictions on Japanese seafood.
Citing officials from both governments, Kyodo News reported this, saying, "On the Japanese side, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and on the Korean side, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, are expected to serve as counterparts in discussions on resuming Japanese seafood imports." It added, "However, with the Korean side not clearly responding to Japan's request to begin talks, the resumption of seafood imports is not certain."
Since the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011, South Korea has banned seafood imports from eight prefectures near Fukushima, including Miyagi and Ibaraki, over concerns about possible radioactive contamination. For seafood from eight regions including Tokyo and Hokkaido, importers are required to submit certificates of radioactive material testing.
South Korea's restrictions on Japanese seafood also led to a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute. In 2015, Japan filed a complaint with the WTO, arguing that South Korea's import restrictions lacked scientific basis. However, the final ruling in 2019 upheld South Korea's measures. Even afterward, the Japanese government has continued to demand the removal of the restrictions through bilateral consultations and international trade negotiation frameworks.
Kyodo News analyzed, "Against the backdrop of recently friendly Korea-Japan relations, the Japanese government is seeking to create an environment for resuming imports, including by easing concerns within South Korea about seafood from areas near Fukushima." It added, "In connection with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which South Korea is pursuing membership in, lifting seafood import restrictions could become a bargaining card for the Japanese side."
