Hong Kong to ease import restrictions on Japanese food

Hong Kong is set to partially lift the ban on food imports from Japan, imposed after the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011.

After a meeting with Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Michihiko Kano, Hong Kong’s Food and Health Secretary York Chow announced that imports of meat and eggs from the five regions Fukushima, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Chiba and Gunma will start again soon.

Import restrictions on fruit and vegetables from these prefectures will however remain in place, Chow added.

Tokyo hopes that the sanction imposed on the remaining food items will also be lifted soon as Hong Kong is a major importer of Japanese food. This would also lead to a relaxation of the ban in other regions, such as mainland China.

Hong Kong has required the submission of radiation inspection certificates along with the imports of meat and chicken eggs from Japanese companies, but a format of the certificate is yet to be determined.

Although Chow said that the Government expects to come to a conclusion soon, a specific timing has not been given.

Japan’s food exports to Hong Kong saw a decline of 8.1% to JPY111.1bn ($1.3bn), while exports to the US declined 2.9% to JPY66.6bn ($810m) in 2011. Exports of farm produce declined 7.4% in 2011 from the previous year, while seafood exports saw a 10.9% decrease.

Following the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, triggered by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, several countries banned food imports due to safety concerns.

Eight countries, including China and South Korea, continue to impose restrictions on several vegetables produced in northern and eastern parts of Japan.

Last week, over 40 Japanese companies exhibited their goods at a food exhibition in Hong Kong, aiming to reassure that country’s products are safe to consume.