In a significant development for Japan’s seafood industry, the country has resumed exports to China for the first time since Beijing imposed a ban in August 2023. The ban was a response to Japan’s release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which suffered meltdowns following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. On Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announced that 6 metric tons of scallops from Hokkaido were shipped to China on Wednesday, marking the first such shipment in over two years. This move follows months of negotiations between the two nations, culminating in China’s decision in June to ease the ban. However, restrictions remain on seafood from Fukushima and nine nearby prefectures, imposed immediately after the 2011 disaster. Kihara emphasized the government’s optimism about this development and urged China to expedite the re-registration of pending applications for Japanese seafood exporters. The Fukushima wastewater issue has been a contentious topic domestically and internationally, with concerns about reputational damage to the region’s produce and its impact on Japan’s relations with neighbors like China and South Korea. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has supported Japan’s plan, confirming that the treated wastewater meets international safety standards and poses negligible risk to the environment and human health. Japan continues to advocate for the lifting of remaining bans, including those on beef imports, as it seeks to rebuild its seafood trade with its largest overseas market.