UK plans to lift post-Fukushima import restrictions on Japanese food

The UK government is planning to lift import restrictions on Japanese farm products that were imposed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.

London [UK], December 11 (ANI/Sputnik): The UK government is planning to lift import restrictions on Japanese farm products that were imposed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. The United Kingdom had imposed import restrictions on certain Japanese food products after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster amid fears that they were contaminated. After evaluating whether these food products would impose health risks to citizens 10 years after the disaster, the UK government had concluded that they were safe to consume.

The lifted restrictions will affect 23 farm products such as bamboo shoots, bonito and mushrooms from nine Japanese prefectures including Fukushima, the ministry said, according to the Japanese Kyodo news agency. Upon being imported to the United Kingdom, the products will require to undergo a health check for radioactive materials.

Prior to the lift on import restrictions, the UK will consult with the public by February before making their decision formal. Thirteen countries still have import restrictions on Japanese food products amid safety concerns. (ANI/Sputnik)