Japan began releasing treated nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 24. This action prompted the Chinese regime to announce that it would cease importing Japanese seafood products, which led to a surge in anti-Japan ultranationalism. The incident caused panic in China’s seafood market, resulting in a significant decline in sales. While seafood imports from Japan in 2022 only accounted for a small portion of the market, the Chinese regime’s actions were seen as detrimental to the fishing industry. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has frequently utilized Japan as a target for its ultranationalist propaganda. In 2012, the CCP backed anti-Japan protests that evolved into riots due to territorial disputes. Such protests are rare in China due to the regime’s prohibition on protests and peaceful assembly, but the CCP may occasionally fuel ultranationalist sentiments and organize “pro-China” demonstrations. Recent social media platforms in China have been flooded with anti-Japan propaganda related to the release of nuclear wastewater, which has had a significant negative impact on the domestic fishing industry. Chinese consumers have become wary of seafood consumption due to alleged pollution from the wastewater. Fishermen and others working in the fishing industry express concerns about the future of their businesses and uncertainty regarding when the propaganda wave will end.
The day Japan began releasing nuclear wastewater, China Customs suspended imports of seafood products from Japan. In July of this year, China’s imports of fish and seafood products from Japan amounted to 234.51 million yuan ($32 million), a 29 percent decrease compared to the previous year. While the impact on Japan’s total exports is minimal, the Chinese fishing industry, which generated over 3 trillion yuan ($411 billion) in 2022 and employed more than 16 million workers, will undoubtedly suffer from the Chinese public’s boycott of seafood. Analysts believe that the CCP’s propaganda will have a severe impact on the seafood market, but will not significantly affect Japan’s GDP. The CCP’s decision to boycott Japanese seafood is regarded as irrational, as Japan plans to release nuclear wastewater for 30 years. Moreover, the Chinese people are dissatisfied with the CCP and have accumulated grievances against the government. The CCP has successfully shifted the focus of these grievances to Japan, as it knows that people will continue to eat seafood as long as the government does not persist in pushing the issue. It is expected that the situation will last for a few weeks or months before fading away.
Li Yuanhua, a former professor at Beijing Normal University, believes that the CCP’s propaganda is not driven by concerns for public health and safety but is primarily aimed at diverting public attention. He points out that the Chinese people currently face various grievances, such as heavy rainfall, flooding, unemployment, business closures, and a real estate debt crisis. The ruling regime has utilized ultranationalist anti-Japan sentiment as an outlet for the public to vent their frustrations, propagandizing and inciting the public to do so. The fishing industry in China will be greatly affected as people are now too afraid to consume seafood. However, many of the so-called Japanese seafood products are actually farmed along the coasts of China. For instance, Japanese eels are often farmed by Chinese fishermen in Fujian Province. Therefore, in many cases, the boycott is not against Japanese products but against Chinese products. Mr. Li asserts that while the CCP attempts to divert attention through propaganda, the fishing industry is not the sole victim. The entire society and economy will be impacted, and the public’s emotions will overshadow the CCP’s wrongdoings, ultimately making the Chinese public the true victims.