Latest news with #tradeban
Al Jazeera
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Japanese seafood set to return to China after Fukushima wastewater row
China and Japan are closing in on a deal that would see the return of Japanese seafood imports to the Chinese market following a nearly two-year trade ban. Tokyo said on Friday that the two sides are finalising details following a successful meeting in Beijing this week. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that officials had 'reached an agreement on the technical requirements necessary to resume exports of fishery products to China'. 'Exports to China will resume as soon as the re-registration process for export-related facilities is completed,' Hayashi said, hailing the pending deal as a 'milestone.' China banned Japanese seafood imports in August 2023 after Japan released more than 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive wastewater from the former Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The power plant was destroyed during Japan's infamous 2011 earthquake and tsunami, when three of its six nuclear reactors collapsed. While the safety of the wastewater release was backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the move was controversial with neighbours like China. China's General Administration of Customs said on Friday that exports will resume once the 'necessary procedures' are completed after 'substantial progress' was made during negotiations. The deal lays out several new procedures for Japan, whose fish processing facilities will be required to register with China. Exporters will also need to include certificates of inspection guaranteeing that seafood has been checked for radioactive material, according to Japanese officials. Chinese restrictions will remain on agricultural and marine exports from 10 Japanese prefectures due to concerns dating back to the 2011 accident. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa said Tokyo would continue to push China to lift any remaining restrictions.
CNA
6 days ago
- Business
- CNA
China set to resume Japanese seafood imports halted due to Fukushima worries
TOKYO: China has agreed on procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood products, Japan's government said on Friday (May 30), marking a step towards ending a nearly two-year trade ban. Officials from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China's Customs reached the agreement during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, the ministry said, adding that China-bound seafood exports were expected to resume after China completes "necessary procedures". China's General Administration of Customs said that the two countries made "substantial progress" following another round of talks on the trade of Japanese aquatic products. The agreement comes as both governments work to ease tensions stemming from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It "marks one important milestone", Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a regular press conference. "We will continue calling for the resumption of Japan's exports of its beef to China and the lifting of import restrictions on agricultural and marine products from ten prefectures," including Fukushima and Tokyo, Hayashi added. Those prefectures were not included in the agreement. Under the agreed measures, Japan will register fishery processing facilities with Chinese authorities, and exports will include inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances, the farm ministry said. The Nikkei newspaper, which reported the news earlier, said that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future. China imposed the ban on Japanese seafood imports shortly after Tokyo began releasing the treated Fukushima wastewater, prompting a diplomatic and economic backlash.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
China, Japan reach deal to restart seafood trade after Fukushima-linked suspension
TOKYO, May 30 — China has agreed on procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood products, Japan's government said on Friday, marking a step towards ending a nearly two-year trade ban. Officials from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and China's Customs reached the agreement during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday, the ministry said, adding that China-bound seafood exports were expected to resume after China completes 'necessary procedures'. China's General Administration of Customs said that the two countries made 'substantial progress' following another round of talks on the trade of Japanese aquatic products. The agreement comes as both governments work to ease tensions stemming from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It 'marks one important milestone', Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a regular press conference. 'We will continue calling for the resumption of Japan's exports of its beef to China and the lifting of import restrictions on agricultural and marine products from ten prefectures,' including Fukushima and Tokyo, Hayashi added. Those prefectures were not included in the agreement. Under the agreed measures, Japan will register fishery processing facilities with Chinese authorities, and exports will include inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances, the farm ministry said. The Nikkei newspaper, which reported the news earlier, said that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future. China imposed the ban on Japanese seafood imports shortly after Tokyo began releasing the treated Fukushima wastewater, prompting a diplomatic and economic backlash. — Reuters
Reuters
7 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
China set to resume seafood imports from Japan as Fukushima worries thaw, Nikkei reports
May 30 (Reuters) - China and Japan have agreed on procedures to resume imports of Japanese seafood products, potentially marking a step towards ending a trade ban, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday, citing a source from Japan's ruling party. The agreement, reached during a bilateral meeting of officials in Beijing on Wednesday, comes as both governments work to ease tensions stemming from the 2023 release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Under the agreed measures, Japan will register fishery processing facilities with Chinese authorities, and export shipments will include inspection certificates confirming the absence of radioactive substances such as cesium-137, the report said. Nikkei added that China is expected to formally announce the resumption of seafood imports from Japanese prefectures outside the Fukushima region in the near future. China imposed the ban on Japanese seafood imports in 2023, shortly after Tokyo began releasing treated wastewater from the disaster-hit plant, prompting a sharp diplomatic and economic backlash. The Japanese and Chinese embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Government's Occupied Territories Bill: what's in it, how it has changed and what the implications might be
The Government has decided to approve drafting of the Occupied Territories Bill. But is it not drafted already? Yes and no. Independent Senator Frances Black first tabled a Bill to ban trade with Israeli entities based in the Occupied Palestinian Territories back in 2018, long before the current conflict in Gaza . The then Government blocked it on the basis that as trade is an EU competence, the legislation would be illegal under EU law. Last year, however, in the light of the conflict in Gaza and a decision of the International Court of Justice about the Occupied Territories, the Government had a rethink, and the Attorney General advised that legislation could now be possible. But serious legal problems remain with Senator Black's legislation, it said, so it would draft its own. That has now got the formal go-ahead . So what happens now? Officials will proceed to draft the 'heads' of the Bill – a summary of what each section of the Bill contains, though it's likely this work is substantially done. The heads will then go before the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee for what is known as 'pre-legislative scrutiny' – where the proposed law is discussed before actual legal text is prepared. That's expected to happen in mid- to late- June, and could be finished by mid-July, when the Oireachtas rises for the summer break. What will the Bill do? The Bill would ban imports originating from the Palestinian Territories that are, under international law, illegally occupied by Israel . Unlike Senator Black's Bill, the Government's Bill will not ban trade in services with the Occupied Territories. This, say campaigners, is an important part of the Bill as online platforms such as Airbnb have a substantial presence in some of the territories, offering tourist accommodation. The Government cites legal difficulties with this, though campaigners say it does not make sense that if a ban on trade in goods is possible, a ban on trade in services would be impossible. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris says he has 'no policy disagreement' with people seeking a ban on trade in services , but does not believe it is legally possible. However, he also says he is willing to be challenged on this, suggesting he is open to changing his mind. Campaigners say they believe they can convince the Government during pre-legislative scrutiny at the Foreign Affairs Committee to include a ban on services in the Bill. READ MORE Does Ireland really do that much trade with the Occupied Territories? No – hardly any, in fact. But that's not what this is about. Campaigners believe that if this Bill can be put on the statute book, it would give a lead to other EU countries, sparking an international movement. They point out that last year Ireland was alone in seeking a review of the Israel-EU trade agreement – now, 19 member states have sought a review, and the European Commission has agreed, raising the prospect of EU-Israel trade being affected. This is one of the reasons why Israel has been so critical of the Irish Government and has sought to enlist the help of the United States to oppose the legislation. Like the campaigners who support the Bill, Israel sees it as an important international precedent. Israel believes it is part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Its supporters say, yes it is. Are there potential costs to the Bill for Ireland? A quiet but substantial lobby in Government is extremely concerned that passing the legislation could involve significant costs for Ireland . Most, if not all, are all completely opposed to Israel's assault on Gaza and the resultant civilian toll – but they worry that US companies operating in Ireland could fall foul of US laws prohibiting boycotts of Israel. For a start, many people in Government want the costs to be assessed. So there's a long way to go yet before any Bill is passed.
