Recently, Japan’s release of the Fukushima radioactive water to the Pacific Ocean has received strong opposition from its neighbouring countries like China and South Korea. China imposed a seafood ban on Japanese seafood, while thousands took to the streets of Seoul to protest against Japan’s release of the treated radioactive water.
To support fishermen and fisheries after China’s seafood ban, the Japanese government aims to allocate an additional 20 billion yen (US$136.8 million) of aid, as reported by Japanese media.
According to the report, the new measures will aim to mitigate the damage from the ban, mainly the purchase and storage of scallops, the fishery of which is particularly dependent on exports to China.
Besides, the Japanese government will re-equip domestic processing plants and instruct the Japan External Trade Organisation to find new markets.
Prior to the water release, the government announced measures to support the fishing industry in the event of reputational damage worth 80 billion yen.
As reported by Reuters, Japan exported about US$600 million worth of aquatic products to China in 2022, making it the biggest market for Japanese exports, with Hong Kong second. Sales to China and Hong Kong accounted for 42% of all Japanese aquatic exports in 2022, according to government data.
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