Japan says China will resume Japanese seafood imports it halted over Fukushima water discharge

China will resume Japanese seafood imports it banned in 2023 over worries about Japan’s discharge of slightly radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, a Japanese official said Friday.

TOKYO, Japan — China will resume Japanese seafood imports it banned in 2023 over worries about Japan’s discharge of slightly radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, a Japanese official said Friday.

China said their talks this week made “substantial progress” but did not confirm an agreement with Japan on the issue that has been a significant political and diplomatic point of tension.

Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the agreement was reached after Japanese and Chinese officials met in Beijing and that imports would resume once the paperwork is complete.

“Seafood is an important export item for Japan and a resumption of its export to China is a major milestone,” Koizumi said.

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya also welcomed the move, saying, “It will be a big first step that would help Japan and China to tackle a number of remaining issues between the two countries,” such as disputes over territory, trade and wartime history.