Storyline: Oyster producers in Hiroshima, the heart of Japan's oyster industry, have been facing uncertainties as the country's political tensions with China exert pressure on the Japanese seafood export market. Hiroshima accounts for around 60 percent of the Japan's total oyster output, with the region's geography providing ideal conditions for the industry. "The secret behind the delicious flavor of Hiroshima oysters lies in the rivers. Thanks to the delta, freshwater mixing with seawater produces exceptionally rich plankton. I believe that is the key factor," said Hiromi Kakigimiyajima, an oyster seller in Hiroshima. The prefecture is one of Japan's most iconic tourist destinations. It is also the home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which draw millions of visitors each year. Tourism and seafood have sustained businesses in Hiroshima for decades, providing plenty of employment at oyster processing plants in Hiroshima, where workers wash, sort, shuck, and package oysters before sending them off to distributors across Japan. However, the industry is now straining amid tensions in China-Japan relations, triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's provocative statements on China's Taiwan region on November 7, in which she claimed that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait. The wrongful statements have since drawn sharp criticism at home and from abroad. Oyster companies in Hiroshima have expressed worries about the impact of the tensions, urging all involved to act honestly and in good faith. "My concern is that although we want people worldwide to enjoy Japanese seafood, rumors and misinformation can create fear about Japanese products. That's the most painful thing for us as producers," said Kajita Kazumi, manager of Osafune Farms. Producers also warn that any sign of hesitation abroad can ripple through the entire supply chain. With peak oyster season approaching, many oyster farmers say all they can do is keep working, keep harvesting, and hope the political situation can be back on track, as the oyster industry is a livelihood for many locals. Shotlist: Hiroshima, Japan - Recent: 1. Various of tourists 2. Itsukushima Shrine 3. Pedestrians 4. Various of man cooking oyster 5. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hiromi Kakigimiyajima, oyster seller: "The secret behind the delicious flavor of Hiroshima oysters lies in the rivers. Thanks to the delta, freshwater mixing with seawater produces exceptionally rich plankton. I believe that is the key factor." 6. Crowds on tourism street 7. Consumer enjoying oyster 8. Oyster restaurant 9. Consumers at oyster store 10. Various of oyster processing plant, workers working 11. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Kajita Kazumi, manager of Osafune Farms (partially overlaid with shot 12): "My concern is that although we want people worldwide to enjoy Japanese seafood, rumors and misinformation can create fear about Japanese products. That's the most painful thing for us as producers." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 12. Kazumi working [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 13. Various of Kazumi working 14. Various of oyster farm, workers harvesting oysters [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]