Amid China ban impact, Japan unveils another $141M support package for fishing industry

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan on Monday unveiled a fresh $141 million financial support package for the fishing industry amid the impact of a ban on aquatic products over the release of nuclear waste into the sea.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his government will allocate 20.7 billion yen ($141.4 million) as an additional relief package to the fishery industry, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

“The support measures will include steps to increase domestic consumption, ensure the sustainable production of seafood, mitigate reputational damage, and secure the development of strategies for finding new overseas markets, as well as making sure there is sufficient provision of swift and thorough compensation,” the report added.

Ahead of its release, Tokyo had already announced a financial support package, other than the one announced by Kishida on Monday.

Kishida last week organized a public luncheon meeting to stem fears about seafood, following South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s event where he urged people to continue eating Japanese imports at restaurants.

Japan released treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24, triggering angry reactions from neighbors, including China and South Korea. Beijing has also banned import of Japanese seafoods.

While Tokyo had proposed to China a joint expert group to study the impact of the treated water, South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party (DP) Monday held an international conference “to stop” Japan's release of treated radioactive, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

The conference had panels from the US, China, and Japan and was held virtually at the country’s parliament.

“We plan to share the respective countries' views on the water release, explore ways for international cooperation, and devise practical solutions together in the hopes of mustering stronger global solidarity,” DP lawmaker Woo Won-shik told the conference.