China has announced that it will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, according to reports from Tokyo, amid a deepening diplomatic spat sparked by comments about Taiwan. The row began when Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested on November 7 that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has reacted strongly to the comments.

The diplomatic tensions have led to a series of retaliatory measures from China, including summoning Tokyo’s ambassador, advising its citizens not to travel to Japan, and warning those studying in Japan to be cautious. Additionally, the release of at least two Japanese movies has been postponed in China, according to state media. Japanese media, including public broadcaster NHK, reported the suspension of seafood imports, citing unnamed government sources.

China has explained the move as necessary to monitor treated wastewater being released from the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant. However, this decision comes after China had only recently resumed purchasing marine products from Japan, following an earlier ban imposed after the Fukushima plant began releasing water in 2023. The release was backed by the UN atomic agency, and plant operator TEPCO stated that all radioactive elements were filtered out except tritium, with levels within safe limits.

The suspension of seafood imports is a significant development in the escalating tensions between China and Japan, which have seen ties frayed by territorial rivalries and military spending in recent years. Japan has urged its citizens in China to be careful of their surroundings and avoid large crowds, while Beijing has vowed to protect the safety of foreigners in China. The top official in Japan’s foreign ministry for Asia-Pacific affairs, Masaaki Kanai, held talks with his Chinese counterpart Liu Jinsong in an effort to defuse the row.

China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, stated that Japan’s comments on Taiwan “seriously violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations” and “fundamentally damage the political foundation of China-Japan relations.” The diplomatic spat has significant implications for trade and relations between the two countries, with Japan’s agriculture ministry and foreign ministry yet to comment on the suspension of seafood imports. The move is likely to have economic implications, as seafood shipments to mainland China accounted for 15.6 percent of Japan’s total seafood exports in 2023, valued at 390 billion yen ($2.5 billion).