Imports of Japanese seafood shrink for two consecutive months

A radiation level test on seafood from Japan is being counducted at a seafood market in Seoul on June 15. [Photo by Lee Seung-hwan]

Imports of Japanese seafood to South Korea decline over 30 percent last month, marking the second consecutive month of double-digit drops, on mounting concerns from the impending release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.

According to data released by the Korea Customs Service on Monday, South Korea’s imports of Japanese seafood in May amounted to 2,129 tons, representing a 30.6 percent drop compared to the same month last year.

Import volume of Japanese seafood had been on an upward trend from January to March this year, but in April, it reversed to a decline of 26 percent. This downward trajectory continued in May, resulting in two consecutive months of double-digit drops. Typically, the import volume of Japanese seafood exhibits seasonality, with the highest levels recorded between November and December.

In terms of import value, Japanese seafood imports in the past month also fell by 1.8 percent compared with the same period last year, totaling $14.06 million. Similarly, import value showed an upward trend from January to March, but it transitioned to a decline starting from April.

This is in stark contrast to the situation in April and May of last year when both import volume and value of Japanese seafood experienced double-digit growth.

The recent decline in imports of Japanese seafood appears to be related to growing concerns over Japanese seafood products due to Japan’s announcement of plans to release contaminated water from the Fukushima plant into the ocean this summer.

Earlier this month, Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, began the test run of facilities to discharge contaminated water into the sea, further intensifying apprehensions.

In response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster caused by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, the South Korean government imposed a ban on imports of all fishery products from eight prefectures, including Fukushima, in September that same year. This measure has remained in effect to this day. As a result, the scale of imports of Japanese seafood continued to decline until 2014, after which it began to show some signs of recovery.

When comparing the import volume of Japanese seafood last month to May 2010, the year before the Fukushima nuclear accident, which stood at 7,475 tons, the current import volume is at a level of 28.5 percent.