One of the seafood business operators told Kishida that sales of his scallops, which had come largely from China, have dropped 90% since the treated water discharge.
China had stepped up testing on Japanese fisheries products, causing long delays at customs, even before the water release and its ban. Japanese Fisheries Agency officials said the measure has affected prices and sales of seafood not from Fukushima but from as far away as Hokkaido. All seawater and fish sampling data since the release have been way below set safety limits for radioactivity, officials and the operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings say.
The impact of China’s ban on Japanese seafood has spilled over to tourism. Transport and Tourism Minister Tetsuo Saito has said cancellations of Chinese group tourists and inquiries about food safety in Japan have been on the rise and that officials are assessing the situation.