G7 demands 'immediate repeal' of restrictions on Japanese food

The “immediate repeal” of import restrictions on Japanese food items was demanded by the Group of Seven (G7) industrial countries on Sunday. China imposed these limits after Japan started leaking wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

In a statement released following their weekend meeting in Osaka, the G7 trade ministers condemned what they saw as China’s increasing use of trade pressure without mentioning the country specifically.

“We deplore actions to weaponize economic dependencies and commit to build on free, fair, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationships,” stated the declaration of ten pages.

China slapped a blanket suspension of Japanese fish imports two months ago when Japan started the release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima plant into the Pacific. While Japan and the U.S. have called the curbs unfair, Russia announced a similar restriction earlier this month.

The G7 – the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada – expressed “concern” over recent control measures on the export of critical minerals.

China, the world’s top graphite producer, this month announced export curbs on some graphite products in another bid to control critical mineral supply in response to challenges over its global manufacturing dominance.

The ministers reaffirmed their concerns on “a wide and evolving range of non-market policies” that include “pervasive, opaque and trade-distortive industrial subsidies” and forced technology transfer.

On Russia, the G7 officials condemned its destruction of Ukrainian grain export infrastructure in its invasion of the country, and Moscow’s decision to “unilaterally” leave talks on an agreement that had allowed grain giant Ukraine to export wheat and other products through the Black Sea.

Unlike the G7 finance ministers’ meeting two weeks ago, which condemned “terror attacks” on Israel by Hamas, the trade ministers did not mention the Middle East crisis, saying only that they “seek to raise awareness about the challenges of moving humanitarian goods across international borders during natural disasters and other emergencies”.

Western countries have generally backed what they say is Israel’s right to self-defence, but there has been mounting international concern over the toll from Israel’s bombing and growing calls for a pause to allow aid to reach Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

(with inputs from agencies)