New Taiwan curbs on Japanese food
Print Edition
TAIWAN has imposed new restrictions on food imported from Japan after hundreds of products were recalled over fake labels that disguised the fact they came from areas affected by the country’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
Taiwan banned Japanese food imports from five areas near Fukushima in March 2011, a few weeks after a devastating quake and tsunami triggered a nuclear meltdown at a power plant and radioactive particles were detected in some imports.
All food imports from Japan will be now required to carry certificates to prove that they are not from the five banned areas while some will also need “radiation inspection certificates,” according to Taiwan’s health and welfare department.
In March, Taiwan authorities recalled hundreds of Japanese food items that were found with fake labels that hid their origins near the site of the disaster.
“The measures are necessary to ... protect Taiwanese consumers’ health and welfare. The government and (food) companies should work together to provide safe food products,” the department said in a statement.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga yesterday urged Taiwan to “lift or loosen the import restrictions from a scientific point of view.”
Farm Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo would consider actions such as filing a suit with the World Trade Organization, “if no concrete development is observed.”
“It is a one-sided measure that is not based on scientific evidence. It is very disappointing,” he said.
Japanese food products are popular in Taiwan and the Apple Daily newspaper reported that stocks of some best-selling chocolates and pre-packaged french fries could run out in three months due to delays caused by the new requirements.
Japan has pledged to investigate the false labeling case with Taiwan and take preventative measures in the hope the island will remove the restrictions.
Taiwan has been stepping up foods safety measures after a string of food scandals.
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