Japan acts to allay food export fears

Relaxnews, The Independent, UK
Monday, 4 April 2011

Which Foods are Healthy?
Eating better is easy, affordable
and practical. We can show you how…
www.MoreThanMedication.ca

Corma Beads(R) pillow
Sobakawa(buckwheat husk)type pillow
hygienic,feel good-made in JAPAN
www.cormabeads.com

Asian Clothing - Save 50%
Fashion Sale Korean Japanese
Free Shipping, Free Coupon Codes
www.whitewatermelon.com

Nuclear disaster in Japan
Current situation in Fukushima.
Read the latest news on RT.com
rt.com

Farm produce from Japan is to be labeled with details including its place of origin in an effort to encourage consumers - both at home and abroad - to continue to purchase Japanese fruit, vegetables and other agricultural and marine products.

There has been a sharp decline in shipments, particularly from the north of Japan, in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which badly damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex. Experts have been unable to regain complete control of the nuclear reactors, which continue to leak radiation into the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean.

Inevitably, that has caused concern among countries that import Japanese foodstuffs.

The Tohoku region of northeast Japan is renown for its variety of agriculture. Its coastal villages have long been the source of much of the nation's fish and shellfish, as well as seaweed products, while its pastures produce milk and beef.

It is also an important source of rice, the fermented soybeans used in natto, soy sauce, sake rice wine and a wide range of vegetables and fruit.

On March 21, the government imposed an indefinite ban on sales of spinach and other vegetables from Fukushima Prefecture after tests showed high levels of radioactivity. The following week, the ban was extended to 25 varieties of the 35 vegetables surveyed - including cabbage and cauliflower - after samples exceeded the government's limit for cesium. Twenty-one of the vegetables were also above acceptable levels for iodine.

Several countries were quick to impose restrictions on imports from Japan, with Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Canada, South Korea and the United States all banning imports of dairy products and vegetables from farms close to the reactors.

Australia's food safety agency said the decision was "a precautionary measure" and that the risk to Australian consumers was "negligible."

But farmers outside the zone considered to be at risk say their livelihoods are in danger because of ungrounded fears over the possibility of contamination.

From April 1, members of a Fukushima agricultural cooperative staged a four-day open-air market in Tokyo to demonstrate the safety of their produce. Farmers waved Geiger counters over the crates of fruit and vegetables to demonstrate that there was no danger.

The agriculture industry has also called on the government to help, leading to the planned introduction of labels for produce.

"We will fully inform other countries of the condition on the Fukushima plant and try to prevent excessive reactions of unjust import bans," Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto told a press conference on April 1.

He added that any restrictions should be based on international scientific standards and that the plan to label Japanese produce would be implemented in the near future.

JR