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Russia has joined its ally China in suspending seafood trade with Japan after Tokyo began releasing treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Russia’s agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said it is "joining China’s provisional restrictive measures on the import of fish and seafood products from Japan as of 16 October 2023”. It said the decision has been taken as a "precautionary measure” and restrictions will remain in place until more information was received to confirm the safety of Japanese seafood, which it said was still pending. Japan said the ban was “unjust” and regrettable. Japan began releasing the first batch of treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on 24 August and the second on 5 October amid opposition from fishing groups and neighbouring countries, including major trade partners like South Korea, China and Taiwan. The release of tons of water has generated international concerns with countries expressing doubts about the potential health and environmental risks posed by the release, leading to diplomatic and trade tensions with neighbours. This is despite Japan’s assurances that the released water is safe and will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium (an isotope of hydrogen hard to separate from water) before being released into the Pacific. Analysts have said that the restrictions on the import of fish from Japan appear unreasonable and could be motivated by political and financial interests rather than safety fears. Mark Foreman, an associate professor of nuclear chemistry in Sweden, told The Independent that the levels of radioactivity in the water discharged from the Fukushima site will not pose any danger to the general public and that these bans could not be defended from a scientific viewpoint. “I do not think it will even endanger a fish glutton who eats nothing but fish,” he said. “There is the problem that many politicians and countries wish to be seen to be more strict or protective of the public than another.” Reacting to Russia’s restrictions, Japan‘s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on Monday that Moscow’s ban had "no scientific basis, is unjust and regrettable”, calling for it to be revoked, the Kyodo news agency reported. Japan‘s foreign ministry said that it had provided Russia with additional information before 15 October following an online dialogue between the relevant state bodies last week, it said in a statement released on Monday before Russia announced its ban. "Japan will continue to provide explanations based on scientific evidence to Russia in a highly transparent manner and in good faith, while undergoing the review by the IAEA," it added. Russia’s move comes after China – Japan’s biggest buyer of seafood – implemented its own ban on all seafood imports from Japan. Tokyo called on China and its territories Hong Kong and Macau to remove the ban and prime minister Fumio Kishida criticised Beijing for spreading "scientifically unfounded claims". Mr Foreman and other analysts suggested the bans could be explained partly by Tokyo’s closer alignment to the US and South Korea in recent years and the Fumio Kishida government’s policy of speaking out against the Ukraine war. “I see the bans as being made for political advantage and also in an attempt to obtain an economic advantage for the fishing fleets of the countries which are imposing the bans. I believe that no good scientific arguments can be made for these bans,” Mr Foreman said. International trade law expert Henry Gao told BBC News: “The main reason is not really the safety concerns. It is mainly due to Japan’s moves against China.” Vladimir Putin is due to visit Beijing this week for the Belt and Road Initiative Forum, only his second foreign visit since an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant was issued against him. Russia and China have forged closer ties and hailed their “no limits” partnership as Western countries have tried to isolate Mr Putin following his invasion of Ukraine. Moscow had criticised Tokyo for its stance on the war and for joining the Group of Seven (G7) nations in imposing sanctions after the invasion in February last year. Russia is also a direct competitor with Japan when it comes to catching fish and seafood in the waters off its far eastern regions, and is already one of the largest suppliers of marine products to China. Not a big market for Japanese seafood itself, Russia imported 118 metric tonnes of fish and seafood from January to September this year, according to Rosselkhoznadzor. Beyond China and Russia, the South Korean government is under pressure to put a blanket ban on imports from Tokyo. Seoul has maintained an import ban on fisheries products from Fukushima and some surrounding prefectures since 2013 but has so far refused to extend this to the rest of Japan. Read More Japan starts discharge of second treated batch of Fukushima water US ambassador to Japan calls Chinese ban on Japanese seafood 'economic coercion' Japan hits out at China’s ‘unacceptable’ seafood ban as it rolls out emergency fund The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

A woman has gone viral on TikTok for sharing an awkward date encounter after ordering 48 oysters. In a clip that's racked up almost 5 million views, Atlanta-based TikToker @equanaaa shared her excitement about visiting Fontaine’s Oyster House, supposedly known to serve the best oysters in the area, with a date she met at a bar. The clip then shows her slurping through four rounds of 12 oyster dishes. "Y’all, when the fourth [plate] came out, he was looking at me crazy. I didn’t give a f***," she told fellow TikTokers, adding: "I’m like, ‘Baby, you invited me out. I’m going to eat.'" The TikToker proceeded to order a side of potatoes, crab cakes, and some lemon cocktails. It was then her date took a toilet break – but didn't return, leaving the woman with the $150 bill. In a follow-up video, she claimed she addressed the situation via text, writing: "Running out on a tab is crazyyy." @equanaaa #hebrokeyallendofstory #fontainesoysterhouse #oysters "I offered to take you out for drinks and you ordered all that food," he responded. "I can CashApp the total for the drinks." The comments were soon flooded with fellow TikTokers and their takes, with one user in hysterics: "I’m in here hollering bc you was slurping up them oysters and that man was plotting his escape. "He didn’t even finish his drink," another joked, adding: "And you had 48 oysters, potatoes AND crab cakes." Meanwhile, a third wrote: "He has the best "tell me about your worst date experience.'" The restaurant's manager later told Rolling Stone: "I will say, it had been a minute since I had a single female eat that many. "But then, you know, she was eating crackers and things like that. But yeah, she put it away. It’s pretty impressive." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 16, 2023--

By Joice Alves LONDON The dollar held near a one-week high on Monday with fragile sentiment against a

By Ankika Biswas and Shashwat Chauhan Wall Street index futures started an earnings-packed week on a firm footing

The actor has previously voiced Ganondorf in 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom'.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Beijing for the opening of the 2022 Winter Olympics, they confidently outlined their vision for a new international order no longer dominated by the United States and its democratic allies.

'Alan Wake 2' is arriving on October 27.

The border crossing with Egypt is the only point of exit for Palestinians looking to flee Gaza.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 16, 2023--

By Amlan Chakraborty and Sudipto Ganguly NEW DELHI/MUMBAI Cricket celebrated its much-awaited return to Olympics on Monday and

Mr Beast and Miranda Cosgrove have recreated one of the actor's most viral moments from an interview in 2022 where she reveals she "actually does cuss a little". Cosgrove broke the internet after she stumbled revealing her favourite curse word, and in the new TikTok, Mr Beast can be seen begging her to say it again. "Just say it!", he begs, before she eventually gives in, and he delivers a crazy celebration as though his favourite team had just scored. The duo we never knew we needed. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter