Japan Calls for Easing Export Restrictions on Seafood Imports from South Korea
In a significant development, Japanese Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul for a 30-minute discussion, marking the first encounter between a Japanese agriculture minister and a South Korean foreign minister. The focus of their conversation was the removal of restrictions on imports of fishery products from eight Japanese prefectures.
These restrictions, imposed by South Korea, were a result of concerns about radiation from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The affected prefectures include Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Chiba.
Minister Koizumi called for an early removal of these restrictions, emphasizing that confidence in Japanese food safety has been fully restored. He advocated for prompt communication between relevant ministries in both countries to eliminate the restrictions based on scientific grounds.
Japan's position is that its agricultural and fishery products are safe under stricter domestic standards than international ones. Despite the ban, many South Korean tourists visiting Japan are enjoying safe and delicious Japanese food.
South Korea's import restrictions remain in place primarily due to ongoing concerns about radiation contamination following the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the subsequent discharge of treated radioactive water into the ocean. South Korea emphasizes ensuring that only seafood confirmed as safe enters its market and insists on maintaining a strong quarantine system to protect food safety.
The World Trade Organization has upheld South Korea's ban, allowing Seoul to maintain the restrictions indefinitely until it is fully convinced that safety concerns are resolved. However, Minister Koizumi urged a diplomatic resolution, including through bilateral talks and upcoming summits, to reverse South Korea’s import ban, describing the current situation as regrettable and urging easing or lifting of restrictions based on scientific evidence.
References:
- Nikkei Asia
- Kyodo News
- Reuters
- The Japan Times
- Yonhap News
- The meeting between Koizumi and Cho in Seoul highlighted the ongoing dispute over Japan's fishery product exports to South Korea, rooted in the radiation concerns from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
- Amidst calls for scientific reassessment, Minister Koizumi argued that the stricter domestic standards in Japan ensure the safety of its agricultural and fishery products, challenging South Korea's persistence in maintaining import restrictions.
- Against the backdrop of ongoing war-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislative negotiations, the general news continues to cover the diplomatic efforts to address this trade issue and its implications for both countries' cultures and economies.
