China's imports of fish and shellfish from Japan in October dropped 99% from a year earlier to $332,000, Chinese customs authorities said Saturday.
The plunge, which reflected a blanket ban on Japanese fishery products imposed by China in late August, came after the imports fell to zero in September. It was not clear why the small amount was imported in October.
Beijing fiercely opposed Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' release into the sea of tritium-containing treated water from its disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. China fully banning imports of fishery products from Japan from Aug. 24 when the water discharge started.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has consistently voiced opposition to the treated water's release.
Meanwhile, China's overall imports of fishery products in October fell around 15% after declining 10% in September. Demand for fishery products diminished in China after the the government said the treated water was "nuclear contaminated."