December 31, 2024
Chinese official highlights issue of nuclear-contaminated water in light of potential resumption of seafood imports from Japan
China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said on December 24 that the country's position in opposing Japan's discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean remains unchanged.
The statement was made in response to media reports suggesting that China is considering resuming imports of Japanese seafood in the first half of 2025. It was also recently concluded that water samples from the sea near the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan are safe.
Concerning the water samples mentioned, Mao questioned "whether the testing was conducted by Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company itself".
"The results of one or two tests may not be able to fully explain the problem," she said. "The key lies in Japan's fulfilling commitment to enabling continuous international monitoring and independent sampling by stakeholder countries, including China."
After actively participating in long-term international monitoring and conducting activities such as independent sampling, China will begin adjusting relevant measures based on scientific evidence and gradually resume imports of Japanese aquatic products that meet regulatory standards, Mao stated.
- Global Times