Japan plans to ask China not to step up restrictions on Japanese food, as seafood from Japan is being held up for customs inspections for unusually long periods.

Earlier this month, the Chinese government said it would inspect all food imports from Japan. Beijing opposes Japan's plan to release treated and diluted water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Nomura Tetsuro said on Friday that he has been briefed on the situation, and the government is working to confirm the details. He stressed that the safety of Japanese food products has been proven scientifically.

Nomura also plans to ask China to abolish the current import restrictions as soon as possible.

Water used to cool molten nuclear fuel at the Fukushima Daiichi plant mixes with rain and groundwater, and has been accumulating at the plant. The water is treated to remove most radioactive substances, but still contains tritium.

The Japanese government plans to dilute the treated water to reduce the tritium level to about one-seventh of the World Health Organization's standard for drinking water quality before releasing it into the sea.

The International Atomic Energy Agency recently released a comprehensive report that concluded Japan's plan is consistent with international safety standards.