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A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and scientists from China, South Korea and Canada observe baskets of fish destined for sampling at Hisanohama Port in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, on October 19, 2023 in Japan (POOL/AFP/Archives/Eugene Hoshiko)
Taiwan will ease restrictions on Japanese food imports, including seafood from areas near the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fisheries ministry said Wednesday.
“Today, Taiwanese authorities announced the relaxation of control measures on imports of Japanese food products, introduced following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant” hit by the 2011 tsunami, the ministry said in a statement.
Taiwan’s move involves lifting import bans on products such as wild bird meat and mushrooms from five regions, including Fukushima, provided that radioactive material inspection reports and certificates of origin are presented, he said.
Seafood from Iwate and Miyagi prefectures in the northeast, near Fukushima, can be exported “without a radioactive materials inspection report.”
The import rules “are revised and effective immediately,” Taiwan’s Food and Beverage Agency wrote in a brief message on its website.
Imports “must be accompanied by radiation test certificates” from Fukushima and four other prefectures, the agency said, adding that the regulations would be applied “based on the date of exports.”
Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsushi Sakamoto said he “welcomed this measure as a positive step in promoting the recovery of disaster-stricken areas.”
The ministry’s statement said Japanese authorities will continue to work to ensure all remaining restrictions are lifted.
The announcement comes after China made a decision on Friday to gradually resume imports of Japanese seafood, which were suspended in 2023 after treated water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant was released into the Pacific Ocean.
In late August 2023, Japan began dumping wastewater from the Fukushima plant, a decision Beijing described as “selfish” and immediately suspended all imports of seafood.
Shortly after, Russia implemented the same suspension as a “precautionary measure”. On Friday, one of its top health officials, quoted by the Tass agency, indicated that the measure was being maintained.
In 2022, China imported more than 460 million euros worth of seafood from its Japanese neighbor, according to Customs figures.
© 2024 AFP
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