• China and Japan have reached an agreement to resume seafood imports from Japan after a two-year ban.
• The ban was initially imposed due to safety concerns related to treated wastewater from Fukushima.
• Japanese officials confirmed that exports will begin after necessary registration and certification processes are completed.
• Ten Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, remain under import restrictions.
• This agreement is seen as a significant milestone in Japan-China relations.

China has officially agreed to procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood, ending a nearly two-year trade ban introduced in response to concerns over the release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The agreement was reached following technical negotiations between officials from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China's Customs during a meeting in Beijing, with Japanese officials stating that "exports to China will resume once the re-registration process for export-related facilities is completed," according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

The deal, hailed as a "milestone" by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, outlines that Japanese seafood exporters will be required to register their fishery processing facilities with Chinese authorities and provide inspection certificates ensuring that products are free from radioactive substances. Exports are expected to resume after the necessary procedural requirements are met, according to Anadolu Agency and India Times.

Despite this progress, China has maintained import restrictions on agricultural and marine products from ten Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, due to ongoing safety concerns stemming from the 2011 nuclear disaster and the subsequent release of treated waste water beginning in August 2023. An analyst noted that while the resumption of imports could strengthen trade ties, deep-rooted political tensions may still persist, as highlighted by previous disputes between the two nations, according to South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.