By Liz Lee and Sakura Murakami
BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) – Talks on seafood trade are expected to be on the agenda on Wednesday when Japan’s foreign minister visits China, Japan’s largest export market for aquatic products until Beijing placed a blanket ban in protest against Tokyo releasing treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean.
It would be Takeshi Iwaya’s first visit to the Chinese capital since he became Japan’s foreign minister in October and he is scheduled to hold talks with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and meet other Chinese officials.
A major sticking point in bilateral trade has been Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater discharge. Beijing had strongly opposed and condemned Tokyo’s decision on that and tightened inspections on Japanese goods in response.
China imposed a full ban in August last year after Japan began releasing the treated radioactive water but both governments reached an agreement in September that would set a path toward restarting seafood shipments from Japan to China.
Nikkei reported this week that China was contemplating lifting the import ban on Japanese seafood.
But China still wants reassurances from Tokyo that it would fulfil its commitment to setting up a long-term international monitoring arrangement and allowing stakeholders such as China to conduct independent sampling and monitoring of the treated water.
With sufficient monitoring, China will “adjust relevant measures” and gradually restore imports that meet standards and regulations, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The one-day visit follows an agreement between leaders of both countries that they will work towards a mutually beneficial strategic relationship, strengthening communication at various levels.
Relations between the neighbouring countries are in a “critical period of improvement and development”, Chinese President Xi Jinping said last month when he met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima, Peru.
Xi said both should “be partners, not threats”.
Trade partners with close economic and investment ties but rivals in security and territorial claims, China-Japan ties are complicated with long-standing geopolitical disagreements and historical wartime sensitivities.
The first Japanese foreign minister to visit since April last year, Iwaya may raise his country’s concerns about Chinese military activities around Japan as well as regional issues including North Korea.
Japan expressed “grave concern” last month over North Korea’s security alliance with Russia in which North Korea stands to gain advanced military technology and combat experience.
Ukrainian and allied assessments show Pyongyang has sent around 12,000 troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ukraine warned this week that North Korea could send more personnel and equipment for Moscow’s army.
On less testy topics, China could prod Japan for reciprocity in visa policies.
China last month expanded its visa-free arrangements to include Japan until the end of 2025, restoring a policy that was suspended during the pandemic.
The country, which has been adding countries to its visa-free list, also extended the stay period from 15 days to 30. Japanese citizens were able to enter China without a visa for up to 14 days before COVID-19.
Japan has not decided on a reciprocal move but China has said it hopes Japan would work towards improving people exchanges between the two countries.
