China Customs Delays Slow Japan's Food Exports by About Two Weeks

BEIJING, Jan 09 (News On Japan) - Delays have emerged in customs procedures for food and other products exported from Japan to China, with clearance in many cases taking around two weeks longer than usual, raising the possibility that the measures are a response to comments by Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency.

According to multiple sources, the delays are affecting items such as alcoholic beverages and food products shipped from Japan to China, with many cases requiring roughly two additional weeks to clear customs compared with normal procedures.

The Japanese Embassy in Beijing has received inquiries reporting that procedures are taking longer than usual, particularly for sake as well as a wide range of other Japanese products.

In addition, exporters are now being asked to submit documents that were not previously required, while inspections during customs clearance, which had formerly been conducted on only some shipments, are now being applied to all products.

In some cases, goods are being held in port warehouses, prompting concerns from businesses about rising transport costs, with some noting that storage fees are higher than normal.

The delays reportedly began after Takaichi’s remarks concerning a Taiwan contingency, suggesting the possibility that the Chinese side has taken countermeasures.

At the same time, one business handling imports from Japan said that while procedures have slowed, they have not come to a halt, adding that the impact has not reached a serious level.

Source: TBS

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