China bans imports of Japanese seafood as row deepens

Beijing warns of stern action if Japanese PM does not retract remarks about Taiwan

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China notified Tokyo that it will ban all imports of Japanese seafood, media outlets reported on Nov 19, in what appeared to be the latest salvo in an escalating diplomatic dispute between Asia's top two economies.

Tensions between the two countries flared up after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response.

China has demanded she retract the remarks and urged its citizens not to travel to Japan, resulting in mass cancellations that could deal a sizeable blow to the world's fourth-largest economy.

Asked about the reports at a press conference, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: “Under the current circumstances, even if Japanese seafood were to be exported to China, it would find no market.”

She reiterated that if Ms Takaichi did not retract her remarks, China would have to take “stern and resolute” countermeasures.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters Tokyo had not received any notification from the Chinese government about a ban on seafood.