U.S. ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said the U.S. military has started buying Japanese seafood in bulk to counter China’s ban.
The ambassador said the Japanese and the U.S. governments will implement long-term contracts regarding the seafood.
China banned Japanese food imports when the latter released treated nuclear water into the Pacific.
U.S. Bought Less Than a Metric Ton
Reuters report mentioned that the U.S. military bought just a little less than a metric ton, the amount China used to buy.
China imported 100,000 tons of scallops last year, which has dropped to zero after the ban, the report said.
“Emanuel said the purchases – which will feed soldiers in messes and aboard vessels as well as being sold in shops and restaurants on military bases,” Reuters wrote.
Why China Banned Japan Seafood
China imposed a ban on Japanese seafood imports in August.
The import ban was imposed when the Japanese government released treated water from Fukushima nuclear power plant in the Pacific Ocean.
The G7 recently urged the Chinese government to lift the ban and avoid weaponizing Japan’s economic dependency.
