The Japanese Embassy in Beijing has sought an explanation from China's state-run broadcaster as to why a "groundless" report casting doubt on the safety of Japanese food products was aired earlier this month, a senior embassy official said.

The embassy's request, made in a letter earlier this week to China Central Television (CCTV), comes after many Chinese stores pulled Japanese food products from their shelves last week in the wake of the report.

The report falsely claimed that two items imported by a Japanese company were from areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.