On November 19, 2025, the Chinese authorities notified Japan that they would completely suspend the importation of Japanese seafood products. This move is seen as Beijing’s economic retaliation against Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takamichi’s recent remarks regarding “Taiwan’s situation,” marking a rapid escalation in the diplomatic dispute between China and Japan.
According to a senior official from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Tokyo received an official notification from Beijing on Wednesday morning about the suspension of importing Japanese seafood. Chinese media outlets such as NHK and Kyodo News reported that China claims this import suspension is for the purpose of “evaluating and continuously monitoring” the treated water accumulated at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company.
However, this action comes at a time when China has demanded Prime Minister Takamichi to retract remarks related to “Taiwan’s situation,” amid high tensions in Sino-Japanese relations. Earlier this month, China had only partially lifted the ban on Japanese seafood that had been in place since 2023, allowing the import of Japanese scallops and sea cucumbers. This has led observers to believe that China’s move is clearly aimed at exerting further pressure on Tokyo.
This is not the first time China has implemented a seafood ban. Initially, the Chinese authorities imposed a comprehensive ban on Japanese seafood in August 2023 when Japan decided to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. However, in June of this year, the two countries had agreed to gradually resume trade, with Beijing’s decision seen as signaling an intention to stabilize relations with Tokyo amidst increasing competition between the US and China.
Before the ban was implemented, the Chinese market accounted for over a fifth of all Japanese seafood exports. Nearly 700 Japanese exporters had already applied for re-registration to re-enter the Chinese market, but so far only three have been approved.
Earlier on November 7, Prime Minister Takamichi had stated during parliamentary questioning that a crisis in Taiwan could pose an “existential threat” to Japan, leading to the potential for a military response.
Subsequently, China’s Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, made inappropriate comments involving “decapitation,” causing widespread concern and strong dissatisfaction among the Japanese, further deteriorating Sino-Japanese relations.
China demanded Takamichi to retract the above-mentioned remarks and urged Chinese citizens not to travel to Japan. However, Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Minori Kihara, reiterated that Japan would not withdraw the Prime Minister’s remarks.
Yukio Edano, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, also expressed that retracting Takamichi’s statements would be difficult, as the discussion was centered on the implementation of legal measures in the event of an attack on US forces.
China has consistently claimed that democratic Taiwan is a part of its territory and insists it will use force to achieve “unification” when necessary. The Taiwan government has rejected China’s territorial claims, asserting that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future.
The current dispute between China and Japan extends beyond seafood trade and public tourism, with tensions even spreading to the cultural sphere.
China has suspended the screening of upcoming Japanese films, including the animated movie “Crayon Shin-chan: The fiery Spring Festival Dancers,” and the live-action adaptation of “Cells at Work” have also been reported to be postponed.
The Japanese boy band JO1 was scheduled to hold a fan meeting in Guangzhou on November 28, but the organizers abruptly canceled the event this week, citing “unforeseen circumstances,” leaving many fans in shock.