China is reportedly suspending the registration of Japanese seafood exporters

NHK has learned that Chinese authorities have suspended the registration of facilities used by Japanese seafood exporters.

Japanese companies that want to export seafood to China are required to register their processing, storage and other facilities in Japan with Chinese customs authorities.

In August last year, authorities suspended imports of Japanese seafood after treated and diluted water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant leaked into the sea.

Sources familiar with the matter say the exporter facility registrations were effective until last month.

Other sources close to the Japanese government say Chinese authorities suspended all registrations this month.

They say the Chinese side has not given Japan any explanation for the latest move.

This comes as governments have been in talks this year to release the treated and diluted water.

The government sources say they need to find out why China chose this time to suspend registrations.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered a triple meltdown following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Water used at the plant to cool molten fuel mixes with rain and groundwater.

The accumulated water is treated to remove most of the radioactive substances, but still contains tritium.

Before the treated water is discharged into the sea, the plant operator dilutes it to reduce the tritium content to about one-seventh of the limit recommended by the World Health Organization for drinking water.