TOKYO: Japan threatened on Tuesday to take China to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to seek a reversal of Beijing's ban on all of its seafood imports after the release of treated radioactive water from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Japan would take "necessary action (on China's aquatic product ban) under various routes including the WTO framework".
Filing a WTO complaint might become an option if protesting to China through diplomatic routes is ineffective, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi said separately.
The comments came as Japanese businesses and public facilities continued to receive harassment calls from phone numbers with the +86 Chinese country code, with many reporting callers complaining of the Fukushima water release.
Fukushima prefectural government and public facilities in the prefecture have received about 3,000 such calls, Kyoto News reported, quoting the prefecture governor.
The power plant operator Tokyo Electric Power has received about 6,000 such calls to date, local media reported, and the government said it was seeking help from telecommunications companies to block the calls.
An increasing number of landline phone users are requesting to block foreign numbers, said a spokesperson at NTT Communications, a Nippon Telegraph and Telephone unit. NTT and other phone companies including KDDI and SoftBank Corp are discussing measures following the government's request.
NTT East, which serves the eastern half of the country including Fukushima, said it had set up a customer service centre on Tuesday specifically for harassment calls from overseas, in response to the government's plea.
"It is extremely regrettable and concerning about the large number of harassment calls that have likely come from China," Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said during a news conference. He said that according to the people of Fukushima some calls were even going to hospitals.
"Human life is at stake now. Please stop the calls immediately," Nishimura said.
The minister said the government was gathering information on the reports of movements to boycott Japanese products in China and would work with business leaders to address the situation.
Japan is also conducting interviews with local travel agencies to gather information about the status of travel to Japan from China after media reports that some Japan-bound tours have been cancelled.
"Some travel agencies responded that they had received cancellation requests while others said they had received inquiries about the safety of food and beverages, and the possibility of postponing or cancelling tours," Japan's Land Minister Tetsuo Saito told reporters.
The move came after China earlier this month lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for Japan and other key markets.
Reuters
Wed Aug 30 2023
The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is seen from Namie Town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan. - Kyodo/via REUTERS
Facebook sasar lebih ramai pengguna muda, syor perkongsian 'feed' berasaskan AI
Selari dengannya, Facebook kini menyatakan akan meningkatkan lagi fokus platform berkenaan kepada pengguna muda.
Isu Kampung Sri Makmur: Anggota penguat kuasa ikut prosedur, tatacara perobohan - PDT Gombak
PDT Gombak berkata tindakan pengusiran dan perobohan yang dibuat adalah berdasarkan perintah Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada 14 Mei 2024.
Lebih 23,000 baucar buku berjaya ditebus murid menerusi aplikasi DELIMa - KPM
Tempoh sah penebusan dan penggunaan baucar buku untuk murid dan pelajar di institusi di bawah KPM adalah dari 31 Mei hingga 31 Dis.
OKU dipukul: Teo sokong titah Tunku Mahkota Ismail
Teo berharap tindakan undang-undang sewajarnya diambil secepat mungkin sekiranya kejadian itu melibatkan unsur jenayah.
Program 'Melaka Bila Larut Malam' tarik kedatangan pelancong
Usaha itu termasuk memperkenalkan pakej pelancongan baharu dan program menarik yang memberi impak kepada semua pemain industri di Melaka.
Jegathesan harap Mohd Azeem, Shereen lakukan 'pecutan' ke Olimpik
Katanya, mereka tiada pilihan lain atau terpaksa akur dengan keputusan hanya seorang sahaja bakal diterbangkan ke Paris menerusi slot wildcard.
KPM naik taraf 384 institusi seluruh negara sebagai Pusat Kecemerlangan Pendidikan
Ia satu usaha pembudayaan digital dengan pembekalan studio digital dan hab pembuatan digital bagi memantapkan kemahiran dan kompetensi guru.
AWANI-RareTV: Negara paling aman terletak di 'hujung' dunia
"Kamu sekarang berada di kampung Iceland, tiada jenayah di sini dan anda tidak perlu kunci."
Kementerian Perpaduan Negara pertimbang naik taraf kuil berusia lebih 100 tahun
Kuil Sri Maha Mariamam yang terletak di Ladang Kerilla, Tanah Merah itu dikunjungi penganut agama Hindu dari seluruh negara setiap hujung minggu.
Final UCL: Gelaran ke-15 Real Madrid lebih sukar dari dijangka - Ancelotti
Ancelotti berkata, ia bagaikan mimpi tetapi ia satu realiti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Britain buka permohonan visa kepada warga Hong Kong
Selepas menetap lima tahun, mereka juga dibolehkan untuk memohon kewarganegaraan.
Dream of maiden Olympic gold put on hold
When one looks back on this year, it is inevitable that the main topic of discussion will be the COVID-19 pandemic.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
AirAsia Japan tutup operasi serta-merta
Penutupan itu susulan impak besar COVID-19 serta larangan perjalanan yang menjejaskan permintaan penerbangan.
AirAsia Japan: AirAsia Group kaji pilihan mengenai operasinya di Jepun, kata Fernandes
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes berkata syarikat penerbangan tambang rendah itu terbuka untuk mengkaji semua pilihan membabitkan operasi di Jepun.
Ibu lawat teman lelaki, anak ditinggalkan mati kelaparan
Suspek dipercayai meninggalkan anaknya selama lebih seminggu untuk bertemu teman lelaki yang berada kira-kira 965 km di wilayah Kagoshima.
COVID-19: Tak boleh jerit naik roller coaster, 'hantu' jaga jarak sosial di taman tema Jepun
Dilarang menjerit ketika menaiki roller coaster, jaga jarak sosial dalam Rumah Hantu dan jangan high-five adiwira kegemaran anda.
MV Diamond Princess akan berlabuh di Port Klang, sah tiada kes COVID-19
Kapal persiaran MV Diamond Princesskini dalam perjalanan ke Malaysia untuk menambah stok barangan dan mengisi minyak.
COVID-19: Ratusan ribu bunga dicantas, elak orang ramai berkunjung ke taman
Walaupun Festival Tulip Sakura tahun ini dibatalkan, namun orang ramai masih mengunjungi lokasi tersebut untuk menikmati pemandangan cantik bunga-bunga di situ.