Taiwan Lifts Japanese Food Import Restrictions

Taipei, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Taiwan on Friday lifted its import restrictions on Japanese food products, which were imposed following the 2011 nuclear accident at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan. Taiwan will no longer require certificates of origin for all Japanese food items or radiation inspection reports for products from the five Japanese prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Chiba. In September, Taiwan announced its plan to remove the import restrictions by the end of this year after a 60-day public comment period. In a statement released on Friday, Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki welcomed Taiwan’s latest move, saying that it will be a “big boost for reconstruction” in areas affected by the 2011 disaster. Taiwan’s decision contrasts sharply with China’s suspension of imports of Japanese fishery products in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency. On Friday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said that more than 270,000 Japanese food products have been tested for radioactive materials since the Fukushima nuclear accident, with all passing inspections and found with only negligible risk. The ministry noted that there was no opposition to removing the import restrictions, and that Japanese food products will now be managed like other foreign foods. The administration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te is promoting the consumption of Japanese fishery products. On Thursday, Lai posted pictures online of his lunch featuring sashimi and sushi, including Japanese scallops and yellowtail. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]