Japan started releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, a polarising move that prompted China to announce an immediate blanket ban on all aquatic products from Japan.

Japan exported about $600 million worth of aquatic products to China in 2022, making it the biggest market for Japanese exports, with Hong Kong second. Sales to China and Hong Kong accounted for 42% of all Japanese aquatic exports in 2022, according to government data.

    • @coherent_rambling
      37•1 year ago

      Yes, that’s literally true (or was before the Russian army visited). The ambient radiation in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, which is all you’d see on a map, is only slightly elevated. The main risk there is of disturbing the ground or abandoned debris and exposing much more dangerous material buried just below the surface.

    • exscape
      13•1 year ago

      There were tourist trips into the exclusion zone around Pripyat (closest town to the plant) all the time until Covid. I’m guessing they haven’t restarted because of the war now, but plenty of people visited with no ill effects.