At the end of August this year,China CustomsA ban on the import of seafood from Japan was announced. This measure is to prevent the pollution of marine resources in the waters around Japan from the nuclear sewage discharged from the nuclear power plant, and to make clear China's concernNuclear contaminationA solemn position on the issue. As the largest overseas consumer market for Japan's fishery industry, the introduction of China's ban has dealt a serious blow to Japan's fishery industry. In just one month, due to China's ban, Japan's seafood exports to China have become almost zero.
Faced with the sudden onslaught of China's ban, Japan** realized that it had to find other markets as soon as possible to absorb the backlog of aquatic products. So, they came up with the idea of selling seafood that China doesn't want to South Korea and the European Union. By exporting a large number of seafood to South Korea and the European Union, Japan plans to increase the value of seafood exports to 65.6 billion yen by 2025. However, South Korea immediately responded, saying that the ban on the import of seafood from the area near Fukushima Prefecture in Japan will not be lifted, and that import controls will be tightened for seafood from other regions to strictly monitor the content of radioactive materials. This means that South Korea is actually banning Japanese seafood from entering the country's market in disguise. Unlike China's explicit ban, South Korea has adopted euphemistic rhetoric that does not want to damage its alliance with Japan. Relations between South Korea and Japan have improved in recent years, and after Yoon Suk-yeol took office, South Korea-Japan relations ushered in a major breakthrough, Yoon Suk-yeol said that South Korea no longer asks Japan for historical debts, and Japan has also lifted restrictions on the export of semiconductor materials to South Korea. With the facilitation of the United States, South Korea-Japan relations have been raised to a higher level. Similarly, the EU's relationship with Japan has become a true ally as some member states have become more involved in Indo-Pacific affairs.
However, Japan is preparing to export seafood that China does not want to South Korea and the European Union, making South Korea and Europe a "garbage can" for Japan. This phenomenon is understandable, since relations between these countries have always lacked sincerity and trust and have been established solely for the purpose of mutual benefit. As long as they profit from it, they can completely put aside their status as allies.
South Korea has been banning seafood from the area around Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, and has also tightened import controls on seafood from other regions, and South Korea has taken a firm stance towards Japanese seafood. Although South Korea has opted for a tactful response, it has also essentially banned Japanese seafood from entering the country's market. This suggests that South Korea does not want to undermine its new alliance with Japan, but it also imposes clear restrictions on Japan's seafood while protecting its own interests.
The EU's relations with Japan have deepened in recent years, especially in partMember of the European UnionThe EU's involvement in the Indo-Pacific has led to a closer partnership between the EU and Japan. Because of this strong relationship, the EU has been relatively more tolerant of Japan's plans to import seafood. Moreover, as an alliance system, there are still differences between various countries within the EU, especially in terms of policy, each member state often has different positions and ways of dealing with it. Therefore, the situation of importing Japanese seafood is differentMember of the European UnionThere may be different attitudes and policies.
The differences in attitudes and actions between South Korea and the European Union can be seen in their responses to Japan's plan to import seafood. South Korea has taken measures to ban and tighten import controls, making it clear that it will not lift the ban on seafood from areas near Fukushima Prefecture and will conduct strict testing of seafood from other regions. The move shows that South Korea is more serious about protecting its consumers and the environment than it is with its alliance with Japan, and it also demonstrates the firmness of South Korea's stance when it comes to environmental issues such as nuclear wastewater.
In contrast, the EU is relatively more tolerant. Given the close relationship between the EU and Japan, it is understandable that the EU has become an alternative market for Japan's seafood exports. However, due to the fact that the EU is a union system and there are differences in policies between member states, the import of Japanese seafood may vary from member state to country.
To sum up, judging from Japan's plan to sell China's unwanted seafood to South Korea and the European Union, these two countries have become Japan's"Trash cans"。While South Korea and the EU's behavior suggests that their relations with Japan are not entirely sincere, they are more motivated by interests. But South Korea's approach to tightening import controls and protecting its own consumers and the environment, as well as the EU's possible differing positions as an alliance system, also reflect how different countries are facing the environmentEconomyand diplomacy and other issues when considering and dealing with differences.
In today's globalized world, the interests and relationships between countries have become more and more complex. In the face of environmental pollution and resource flows, the decision-making of countries is often affected by politicsEconomyand domestic interests. Therefore, in the processingInternationalWhen it comes to relationships and protecting national interests, there is a need to weigh the pros and cons and find a more balanced and marginal solution. The attitudes and actions of different countries on issues such as Japan's seafood exports are diverse, and cannot be interpreted simply as alliances.