The Philippines' Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has announced that the Philippines has removed some restrictions on Japanese food imports imposed in response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, due to a lower risk of radioactive contamination.
Locsin made the announcement in advance of a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Manila on 9 January. The day before the meeting, the Philippines eliminated a requirement for radiation tests for some types of seafood from Fukushima and the surrounding prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma. Prior to this step, in May 2019, the Philippines lifted its import ban on four fish species from Fukushima Prefecture.
According to Japan’s Fisheries Agency, fishing is allowed in Fukushima Prefecture at least 10 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, with the exception of five species – scorpionfish, ocellate spot skate, cherry salmon, Stimpson's hard clam, and brass blotched rockfish. Levels of radioactive cesium are checked and must remain lower than the standard limit (100 becquerels per kilogram) for a certain time period for the Japanese government to allow the resumption of fishing for those species.
A cesium level exceeding the limit was detected in a stone flounder in March 2015, which was recorded with a contamination level of 140 becquerels per kilogram. From April 2015 on, only one sample of marine seafood was found to exceed this level: At the end of January 2018, a cesium level of 161 becquerels per kilogram was detected in a skate. Traceable levels of radiation have continued to appear in some freshwater fish in the region.
More than 50 countries implemented measures to limit or prohibit seafood imports from the affected area following the meltdown. Of that total, 20 have limits or bans still in place.
According to the Food Industry Affairs Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, other countries that have lifted all import measures on Japanese food imposed after TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, and the date they were lifted include: Canada, Myanmar, Serbia, Chile (2011); Mexico, Peru, Guinea, New Zealand, Colombia (2012); Malaysia, Ecuador, Vietnam (2013); Iraq, Australia (2014); Thailand (with a few exceptions), Bolivia (2015); India, Kuwait, Nepal, Iran, Mauritius (2016); Qatar, Ukraine, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Argentina (2017); New Caledonia, Brazil, Oman (2018); Bahrain, Democratic Republic of Congo, Brunei (2019).
Regarding marine products, some countries have partially lifted their restrictions. The United States lifted a ban on rockfish (Sebastes cheni) and seabass from Fukushima Prefecture in 2018; while waiting until 2019 to permit imports of surf perch, starry founder, brass blotched rockfish, and scorpionfish from Fukushima Prefecture. That year, the U.S. also moved to allow entry of Japanese black porgy from both Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures, and sweetfish from Miyagi Prefecture .
Russia lifted its import ban on fishery products from seven prefectures with test certificate requirements for fishery products from Fukushima Prefecture in 2018, and then also lifted the certificate requirement in the same year.
The United Arab Emirates lifted its test report requirement for all food from four prefectures surrounding Fukushima and lifted the requirement for certificate of origin in 2018.
The European Union and European Free Trade Association (Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Iceland) lifted a test certificate requirement for fishery products from six prefectures in October 2019.
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