ANKARA

China will suspend seafood imports from Japan amid diplomatic tensions triggered by the Japanese prime minister’s remarks on Taiwan, which sparked a backlash in Beijing, local media reported on Wednesday.

Beijing has informed Tokyo that it will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, Kyodo News reported, citing government sources.

The development came just days after Japanese Farm Minister Norikazu Suzuki said that Japan has resumed seafood exports to China for the first time since Beijing imposed a blanket ban in 2023 over the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

China announced in June that it would partially lift the ban after Japan pledged to guarantee the safety and quality of seafood exports.

Restrictions, however, remain on seafood from 10 of Japan’s 47 prefectures, including Fukushima.

However, diplomatic tension between the two countries escalated after Premier Sanae Takaichi said on Nov. 7 that any Chinese military action against Taiwan, including a naval blockade, could qualify as a "survival-threatening situation," enabling Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense.

Beijing slammed the statement, urging Tokyo to retract the remarks.

After her remarks, Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian also wrote on US social media company X that he would "cut a dirty neck without a moment of hesitation," triggering a protest by Tokyo.

Later, China called on its citizens to avoid visiting Japan, while Japan's top government spokesman, Minoru Kihara, on Tuesday stressed that Tokyo is "open to all kinds of dialogue" with Beijing.

In Beijing on Tuesday, Japanese diplomat Masaaki rejected the basis of China's travel alert, saying that Japan’s public safety situation “is not deteriorating.”

Separately, Japan's Embassy in Beijing called on Japanese nationals in China "to work to secure their safety ... in view of the situation, including local media reports about the recent bilateral ties.”

Meanwhile, Beijing said Chinese Premier Li Qiang does not plan to meet with Japanese counterpart Takaichi in South Africa, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 leaders' summit this weekend.


Japan totally unqualified for UNSC

Addressing the UN General Assembly's plenary meeting on Security Council reform, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said Japan "is totally unqualified" to seek a permanent seat on the Council (UNSC).

Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan "are extremely erroneous and dangerous," said Fu, according to an official transcript of his statement.

"They are an affront to international justice, damage the post-war international order, trample on the basic norms of international relations, and represent a blatant departure from Japan's commitment to peaceful development. Such a country is totally unqualified to seek a permanent seat on the Security Council," said the top Chinese diplomat at the world body.