Tokyo - There has been protest in Japan over a proposed ban on international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, a day after the European Union agreed to back the plan.

Wholesalers held a protest at Tokyo's fish market, while a top official said Japan was likely to opt out of the ban.

The EU agreed on Wednesday to back the ban during next week's meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

But Japanese opponents say it would hit the country's massive tuna market hard.

Bluefin tuna, which is used in sushi and sashimi, is highly prized in Japan.

Japan has previously indicated that it will opt out of the ban - and its top government spokesman said that nothing had changed.

At Tsukiji fish market a group of traders protested against the proposed ban.

Japan consumes about three-quarters of the bluefin tuna caught worldwide, and imports large amounts from France, Italy and Spain.

Under a Cites ban, EU member states would not be allowed to export bluefin caught in their waters, and would not be able to fish in international waters.