Japan experienced a 1.8% drop in exports of agricultural, forestry, fishery products, and other food items during January-June 2024, totaling ¥701.3 billion. This marks the first decline in four years, as reported by the agriculture ministry.
The last instance of a year-on-year decline in first-half exports occurred in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when global economic conditions were severely disrupted.
The recent figures, released on Friday, primarily reflect China’s ongoing ban on Japanese fishery products since last summer. This ban was implemented in response to concerns over tritium-containing treated water discharged from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.