Japan has told the World Trade Organization (WTO) that China’s ban on Japanese seafood after the release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant was “totally unacceptable”, the Japanese foreign ministry said late on Monday.
In a counterargument to China’s Aug. 31 notification to WTO on its measures to suspend Japanese aquatic imports, which started last month, Japan said it would explain its positions in relevant WTO committees and urged China to immediately repeal the action.
Some Japanese officials have signaled the country may file a WTO complaint, which the U.S. ambassador to Japan said last week the United States would support.
Japan will explain the safety of the released water at diplomatic forums, including the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia and G20 Summit in India this month, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on Tuesday.
“Nothing is decided about a Japan-China leaders’ meeting,” added Matsuno, Tokyo’s top government spokesperson. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and China’s Premier Li Qiang will attend the ASEAN and G20 summits, while Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping both conferences.