BEIJING, Oct. 27 ― During his groundbreaking visit Beijing in October, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that China may ease its import restrictions on certain Japanese agriculture products, which has been placed in since the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima.
“China said it will consider easing the restrictions based on the scientific assessment on food safety,” Abe told reporters after he met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on Oct. 26.
“We hope the Chinese people will enjoy Japanese produce more, and I believe active trade will deepen ties between the Japanese people and the Chinese people further,” he said.
Relations between Asia’s two biggest economies have rapidly warmed up, as tensions between China and the United States have spilled over from the trade war into a number of other strategic areas.
China has imposed bans on food imports from Fukushima and nine neighboring prefectures in response to the meltdown at the Fukushima No.1 power station in Fukushima Prefecture in 2011. The plant is managed by Tokyo Electric Power Co.
China has also halted importing vegetables, fruit juice, dairy products and tea leaves from Japan.