Japanese trade minister says he called on China to immediately withdraw its suspension of Japanese seafood imports. He also said the two sides agreed to hold working-level talks on export controls and promoting a smoother business environment for the expansion of bilateral trade and investment.
Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi and China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met for about half an hour on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Nishimura said he called on Beijing to ensure the safety of Japanese business people in China, and asked for the proper operation of export controls on critical minerals used to manufacture semiconductors, as well as on graphite, a material used in lithium-ion batteries.
China has suspended all imports of seafood from Japan following the release of treated and diluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea that started from late August. Nishimura urged China to immediately end the measure.
The response from the Chinese side has not been revealed.
Nishimura told reporters that various issues were raised at the talks and the two sides agreed to hold in-depth discussions. He added he wants to continue discussions with China to build constructive and stable bilateral relations.