Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and other food items in January-June 2024 fell 1.8% from a year earlier to ¥701.3 billion, decreasing for the first time in four years, according to figures released by the agriculture ministry.
The first-half total last fell year on year in 2020, when the world economy was in turmoil due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest result, released Friday, reflected China's import ban on Japanese fishery products since last summer in response to discharges of tritium-containing treated water from the disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings.