Hong Kong To Curb Some Japan Food Imports Over Fukushima Water Release

Japan has said the gradual release into the sea of more than 500 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency


  The decision came same day the Japanese government announced it would start discharging the water


Hong Kong: A government minister announced Tuesday that Hong Kong would exclude "aquatic products" from 10 Japanese prefectures after mayor John Lee criticized Tokyo's plans to dump water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear facility into the ocean.

Twelve years after the Fukushima tragedy, Japan has claimed that the gradual discharge of more than 500 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water into the sea is safe. The UN atomic agency supports this claim.

The second-largest recipient of food items from Japan after mainland China, Hong Kong, as well as neighboring South Korea and China, have all strongly opposed the move.

Tse Chin-wan, Hong Kong's Secretary for Environment and Ecology, stated during a news conference that "the (Hong Kong) government will ban the imports of all aquatic products from 10 prefectures of Japan from the 24th of August."

All aquatic goods that are "live, frozen, chilled, dried, or otherwise preserved," sea salt, and raw or processed seaweeds are among the products.

Tse said that there was no set duration for the prohibition because it would rely on "how effectively the Japanese government's oversight system operates".

In Hong Kong, where upmarket omakase restaurants may be found as well as markets that specialize in imported seafood products, Japanese cuisine is very well-liked.

City leader John Lee criticized Tokyo for making the choice "on its own" on Tuesday, the same day the Japanese government said it would begin releasing the water.

In a Facebook post earlier on Tuesday, Lee stated, "It disregards the risks to food safety and the irreversible pollution and damage to the ocean ecology, and is an irresponsible way of pushing one's problems onto others."

He went on to say, "I express my strong objections," urging the appropriate organizations to "immediately activate" import control procedures.

Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, and Saitama were the 10 prefectures mentioned.

China's General Administration of Customs threatened to prohibit all items originating from the same 10 prefectures last month.

Speaking on behalf of the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin said Beijing would take "necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety, and public health" if Beijing's objections were to be renewed.

Wang claimed that Japan "is openly... putting its own self-interest over the long-term well-being of all humankind" by releasing the water.

City leader John Lee criticized Tokyo for making the choice "on its own" on Tuesday, the same day the Japanese government said it would begin releasing the water.

In a Facebook post earlier on Tuesday, Lee stated, "It disregards the risks to food safety and the irreversible pollution and damage to the ocean ecology, and is an irresponsible way of pushing one's problems onto others."

He went on to say, "I express my strong objections," urging the appropriate organizations to "immediately activate" import control procedures.

Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, and Saitama were the 10 prefectures mentioned.

The General Administration of Customs in China threatened a blanket ban on all foods originating from the same 10 prefectures last month.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said on Tuesday that Beijing would take "necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety, and public health."

Japan "is openly... putting its own self-interest over the long-term well-being of all humankind" by releasing the water, Wang claimed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Russia Mutiny: What Is The Wagner Group And Why They Have Rebelled Against Russian Army | Explained

Image
The Wagner chief's Yevgeny Prigozhin Yevgeny Prigozhin Has announcement came as one of the biggest challenges for Russian President Vladimir Putin since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war last year  Russia  :   Russia and Ukraine, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, vowed to topple the Russian military leadership, whom he accused of launching strikes on its people and said that he would 'destroy everything that stands in our way'. The Wagner chief's announcement came as one of the biggest challenges for Russian President Vladimir Putin since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war last year. Following his announcement, Russian authorities have tightened security measures in several parts of the country Moscow's mayor on Saturday said that 'anti-terror' measures were being taken in the Russian capital. Prigozhin has escalated months of harsh criticism of Russia's conduct of the war after calling for an armed uprising to oust the defenc...
Read more

Russia's missile attack on Zelenskyy’s hometown kills one policeman, injures 52 others in central Ukraine

Image
The missile strikes were among multiple Russian attacks across Ukraine overnight. The strikes come days after 16 people were killed in an attack on a market in eastern Ukraine and drone debris was found in Romania. Emergency services personnel work to extinguish fire following Russian attack in Kryvyi Rih Russia-Ukraine war:    On Friday, September 8, a Russian missile attack on the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy resulted in the death of one police officer and at least 52 injuries, according to officials. Three people were killed in a second attack in the southern Kherson region. The missile attacks were just one of many that Russia allegedly launched against Ukraine overnight. Local elections in the places it has invaded as well as others that it does not control are another way Moscow is aiming to boost its political influence.In a statement, the foreign ministry of Ukraine announced that it did not recognise the "fake elections." The missile strikes co...
Read more

NIA attaches property of Arif Shaikh, key accused in 2022 D-company case

Image
NIA seizes Arif Shaikh's property, a crucial defendant in the 2022 D-company case.             Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is a UN-designated global terrorist A residential home belonging to one of the main defendants in a case involving the fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and terrorism funding has been impounded by the NationalInvestigation Agency (NIA).Arif Abubakar Shaikh, also known as Arif Bhaijaan, was charged with funding terrorism together with Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and a few of his close associates, including Chhota Shakeel. He was detained last year. The residential property of Arif Shaikh, which is located in Maharashtra's Thane district, has been attached, according to the NIA, in accordance with section 25(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. In addition to Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Shakeel, the NIA has already filed a chargesheet under the pertinent UAPA and IPC sections against Arif Abubakar Shaikh, his brother Shabbir Abuba...
Read more