TOKYO: China has apprised Japan of its decision to suspend imports of Japanese seafood, as tensions escalate over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan, local media reported on Wednesday, citing a government source.
Earlier this month, China resumed imports of marine products from Japan, after lifting a blanket ban imposed in August 2023 following the release of treated radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear facility.
Meanwhile, citing a Japanese Foreign Ministry source, Kyodo News reported that China and Japan failed to resolve their differences during a meeting of senior officials, as Tokyo refused Beijing's demand to retract Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan.
Masaaki Kanai, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, met with his Chinese counterpart Liu Jinsong on Tuesday to discuss bilateral issues.
Reports suggest that through the discussions, Tokyo aimed to defuse the diplomatic spat that is impacting tourism, education and entertainment exchanges between the two neighbouring countries.