Japanese sake exports to China delayed at customs: report

Japanese sake exports to China are facing longer-than-usual customs clearance delays, possibly linked to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's recent Taiwan-related remarks, Kyodo News reported on Thursday.

The delays began after Takaichi's parliamentary comments in November, with some shipments taking weeks to about a month longer than normal, and some sake held up at ports including Tianjin and Shenzhen. The Japanese Embassy in China has received many inquiries from affected companies.

Trade sources suggested sake, as a symbol of Japan, may have been targeted. Japan exported 11.6 billion yen (about 500 million yuan) worth of sake to China in 2024, making it the top market.

The delays appear to be part of broader Chinese measures, following earlier reports that Beijing told travel agencies to cut group tours to Japan by about 40 percent.