The US military has begun the bulk-buying of seafood products from Japan in order to counter the effect of China’s import ban.
The food will be used to feed soldiers in US military facilities and also be sold in shops and restaurants on military bases.
The superpower’s first purchase was around one metric ton of scallops. However, this is a fraction of the 100,000 tons of scallops imported by China from Japan last year.
Gradually, US imports will grow to include all kinds of seafood, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel told Reuters.
Offsetting China’s Economic Impact
In an interview published by Reuters on Monday, Emanuel said that Washington’s decision aims to help soften the blow of China’s ban, which is part of its “economic wars.”
“The best way we have proven in all the instances to kind of wear out China’s economic coercion is come to the aid and assistance of the targeted country or industry,” he said.
The diplomat added that the initiative is the beginning of a “long-term contract” between the US armed forces and Japan’s local fisheries and co-ops.
US comes to Japan's aid as China imposes ban on Japanese seafood after Tokyo releases treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea https://t.co/mpCDl1pQMM pic.twitter.com/udKWNY1CBc
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 30, 2023
China rebuffed the move, with its foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin saying that “The responsibility of diplomats is to promote friendship between countries rather than smearing other countries and stirring up trouble.”
The move comes as members of the G7 released a 10-page statement after their meeting in Osaka, Japan, calling for international cooperation to “counter non-market policies and practices” and “utilise existing rules and tools, and if needed, develop new rules.” However, the statement did not directly mention China.
China’s Ban
China banned seafood imports from Japan following the latter’s decision to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. In August, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused Japan of being “selfish and irresponsible” for taking such a decision.
Japan exported about $600 million worth of marine products to China last year, making it Japan’s biggest export market, followed by Hong Kong.
Since China’s suspension, the Japanese government announced plans to support the local fisheries industry by allocating more than $682 million.
Following the move, Japan told the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in September that the ban was “totally unacceptable.”
Subsequently, following the footsteps of its Chinese ally, Russia also took a “precautionary measure” and restricted seafood imports from Japan, triggering a strong objection from Tokyo.