Xi blindsides Japan with outcry over Fukushima water release

Tokyo misreads China's response in repeat of 2012 Senkaku protests

20230829N Fukushima

Japan's release of treated radioactive wastewater from the disaster-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been the subject of much controversy. (Pool via Reuters)

TETSUSHI TAKAHASHI, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- China's response to the release of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been much harsher than Japan had anticipated, sending Tokyo officials scrambling to deal with the fallout.

"I thought China would respond somehow, but I wasn't expecting it to go this far," a senior Japanese official who asked to remain anonymous said shortly after China decided Thursday to ban all seafood imports from Japan.

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