Japan Urges South Korea to Lift Ban on Japanese Seafood Imports Restriction
Japan's Agriculture Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, recently met with South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul, marking a significant diplomatic encounter. The meeting occurred ahead of a possible visit to Japan by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung [1][2].
The discussions centred around the long-standing seafood import restrictions imposed by South Korea on several Japanese prefectures, including Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Chiba [1][2][4]. These restrictions were enforced due to concerns over radiation contamination following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011.
Koizumi urged Cho to scrap these restrictions, emphasizing that Japan has fully restored confidence in the safety of its seafood [1][2]. He based his argument on Japan's stricter-than-international-norms food safety standards and the World Trade Organization's validation of Japan's efforts to ensure food safety [3].
However, as of mid-2025, South Korea continues to uphold the ban on seafood imports from these regions. The ban has been a contentious issue between the two nations, with Japan viewing the restrictions as unnecessary [1][3][5]. Notably, China, which imposed a similar ban, lifted its restrictions in June 2025, but South Korea has yet to follow suit [1][2][4].
The specific prefectures requiring certificates of radiation inspection, in addition to the eight mentioned, are not specified [1][2][4]. Moreover, no details were provided about the South Korean President's visit or the agenda for the talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba [1][2][5].
Koizumi expressed high expectations for smooth communication towards the removal of the ban but did not disclose Cho's response [1][2]. It is not clear if any discussions regarding the seafood import restrictions were part of the diplomatic sources' information about the South Korean President's visit [1][2][5].
Despite some restrictions on Chinese seafood imports from Japan still remaining, Koizumi stated that trust in Japanese foods has been fully restored [1][2]. The ongoing diplomatic discussions indicate ongoing efforts to resolve the issue [1][2][5].
[1] News Source 1 [2] News Source 2 [3] World Trade Organization Decision [4] South Korean Government Statement [5] Japanese Government Press Release
In the ongoing diplomatic exchange between Japan and South Korea, the seafood import restrictions imposed by South Korea on several Japanese prefectures continue to be a contentious issue [1][3][5]. Despite China lifting its similar ban, South Korea has yet to do so [1][2][4]. The Japanese Agriculture Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, urged Cho Hyun, South Korea's Foreign Minister, to scrap these restrictions, citing Japan's stricter-than-international-norms food safety standards and validation from the World Trade Organization [1][2]. However, South Korea still upholds the ban on seafood imports from the aforementioned regions [1][3][5]. The discussions around Japanese culture, politics, general news, and food safety remain central to the diplomatic dialogue between the two nations.
