Hong Kong bans Japanese seafood products if radioactive Fukushima water is released into the sea – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

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A senior city official said Wednesday that Hong Kong will immediately ban the import of aquatic products from Fukushima and other Japanese prefectures if Tokyo treats radioactive wastewater at sea.

Environment and Ecology Minister Tse Chin Wan said that although wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant will be treated before being discharged into the Pacific Ocean, any errors in the process will greatly affect the environment and food safety. The concern stems from Japan’s UN-endorsed, but controversial, plan to gradually release treated water.

“Our assessment shows that prefectures close to Fukushima have a higher risk, so we are now taking a responsible approach to our residents,” he told reporters at a news briefing.

He added that the 10 affected areas are Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama.

A massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 destroyed the cooling systems of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, causing three reactors to melt and release large amounts of radiation. The tanks that store water used since the accident to cool the reactor core will reach capacity in early 2024.

In 2021, the Japanese government announced plans to gradually release treated – but slightly radioactive – water after diluting it to what it says are safe levels. Japanese officials say the water, currently stored in about a thousand tanks at the plant, should be removed to prevent accidental leaks in the event of an earthquake and to make room for the plant’s decommissioning.

Last week, the United Nations nuclear agency endorsed the plan, saying it met international standards and that its environmental and health impact would be minimal.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the northeastern coast of Japan near Fukushima Prefecture. The same area hit by an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011.

But the plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing communities worried about harming safety and reputation. Neighboring countries, including South Korea, China and Pacific Island nations, have also raised safety concerns.

In Hong Kong, some products – such as fruits and vegetables – are currently prohibited from being imported from Fukushima. Other products such as meat and poultry are allowed to enter from there if they are accompanied by a radiation certificate.

The import of many food products from four other Japanese prefectures immediately south of Fukushima—Junma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Chiba—must be accompanied by a radiation certificate.

For the planned policies announced on Wednesday, Tse said the government will be scientific and review the data. He said that if it was safe, the government would consider easing its restrictions.

Earlier, Naoto Nakahara, deputy consul general at the Japanese Consulate in Hong Kong, told Nikkei that the Hong Kong government was “trying to win brownie points from Beijing.”

Responding to the reported criticism but without identifying anyone, Tse said officials have put in place policies in line with the situation in Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy,” he said.

Official data showed that last year the main food imports from Japan accounted for about 2% of Hong Kong’s total food supply. Although Hong Kong is not very dependent on Japanese food products in terms of quantity, many residents love Japanese food and there are many Japanese restaurants in the city.

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