The Japanese government is making a push for the lifting of restrictions on the import of food from Fukushima to the European Union (EU) member countries. In recent meetings with ambassadors from France and Germany, Japanese officials emphasized that food products exceeding the radiation standard would not be distributed within Japan, and that there is no need to worry about the release of contaminated water.
The meetings are seen as an attempt to ease the regulatory atmosphere among major countries ahead of the upcoming G7 Summit in Hiroshima next month and the expected release of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant this summer.
The officials hope that the EU will lift its regulations, saying that the regulation itself is leading to “harmful rumors” and that they would like to give hope to Fukushima, which is still recovering from the disaster. “Fukushima Harmful Rumors” is a term used to refer to the phenomenon of suffering damage due to false rumors in Japan. Some claim that only Fukushima residents have been damaged by false rumors regarding Fukushima’s agricultural and fishery products.
After the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, 55 countries and regions around the world restricted imports of Japanese food products. Currently, 12 countries and regions, including Korea, China, and the EU, still have regulations in place. If the EU, consisting of 27 countries, lifts the regulations on Fukushima food products, it will be a significant achievement for Japan.
Due to their proximity to Japan, Korea and China are sensitive to the issue of contaminated water and have closed their doors to the import of food products from Fukushima. In this situation, controversy arose when President Yoon Seok-yeol, who visited Japan on March 17, said in relation to the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, “I will try to gain understanding from the Korean people even if it takes time.” As public criticism grew, the presidential office responded by saying, “Our position has not changed from the beginning, that we cannot accept the release of contaminated water unless safety issues are resolved,” and “we will not allow anything that threatens the safety and health of our people.”
The push to lift restrictions on food imports from Fukushima is part of Japan’s ongoing efforts to promote recovery in the region. The lifting of the EU regulations would not only have economic benefits for Japan, but would also be a significant step towards restoring confidence in the region’s food safety.