China Reimposes Ban on Japanese Seafood as Diplomatic Tensions Deepen

China has informed Japan that it will reimpose a complete ban on all Japanese seafood imports, according to media reports on Wednesday. The move comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Asia’s two largest economies.

Relations deteriorated after Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said earlier this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could pose an existential threat to Japan—remarks that, she suggested, could justify a potential military response.
Beijing has demanded that Takaichi retract her comments and has urged Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, leading to a wave of cancellations that could significantly hurt the world’s fourth-largest economy.

This latest setback for Japan comes just months after China partially lifted earlier restrictions on Japanese seafood. Those restrictions were first imposed in response to Tokyo’s 2023 decision to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

According to Kyodo News, China notified Japan that the renewed ban is due to continued monitoring concerns related to the wastewater release.

China’s Ministry of Commerce and its Customs Administration did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment, and Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was also unavailable.

Facing a backlash from Chinese officials and state media over Takaichi’s remarks, Japan on Monday advised its citizens in China to heighten safety precautions and avoid crowded places.
Tokyo maintains that Takaichi’s comments in parliament align with the government’s official stance—an indication that a diplomatic breakthrough may be unlikely anytime soon.

Japan Weighs the Economic Impact

In June, China announced it would resume seafood imports from all but 10 of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
A renewed blanket ban would severely impact Japanese companies eager to regain access to a market that once accounted for more than one-fifth of Japan’s total seafood exports.

Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki said on Tuesday that around 700 Japanese exporters had applied for re-registration to ship seafood to China. However, only three have been approved so far.

Before the 2023 restrictions, China was Japan’s largest buyer of scallops and a major importer of sea cucumbers.

The concurrent travel boycott may have even broader consequences for Japan’s already fragile economy.
According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, tourism accounts for roughly 7% of Japan’s GDP and has been a major growth driver in recent years. Official statistics show that visitors from mainland China and Hong Kong make up nearly one-fifth of total arrivals.

More than 10 Chinese airlines have begun offering refunds for flights to Japan through December 31. One airline analyst estimates that around 500,000 tickets have already been canceled.

A staff member at a Chinese state-owned bank said managers had informally directed employees to avoid submitting travel requests to Japan for the time being. The individual declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Academic and Cultural Exchanges Halted

China’s foreign ministry said the annual academic conference between scholars from both countries, scheduled to begin Saturday in Beijing, has been postponed.

An event aimed at promoting Japan–China friendship, planned for November 21 in Hiroshima, has also been canceled.

China has suspended screenings of upcoming Japanese films, and several Japanese celebrities popular in China have publicly expressed support for Beijing to avoid backlash.

Japanese singer Maria wrote on Weibo on Tuesday: “China is like a second homeland to me, and all my friends there are like family. I will always support One China.”