Hong Kong to soon allow some Japanese food imports from Fukushima

Hong Kong will soon remove some restrictions on food imports from Japan imposed because of the nuclear crisis caused by the nuclear accident at Fukushima Prefecture.

Food and Health Secretary York Chow revealed this possibility after talks with Minister Michihiko Kano of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries who visited the city.

Imports of meat and chicken eggs from Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba prefectures will resume soon, Kano said. Chow noted, however, that Hong Kong will continue banning some food imports, including fruit and vegetables, from the five prefectures.

Hong Kong is Japan's biggest importer of farm and seafood products. Japan's exports of farm, forestry and marine products to Hong Kong dropped 8.1% to US$1.4 billion in 2011 following the Fukushima nuclear incident.

Hong Kong in March 2011 banned imports of fruits, vegetable, and milk from the five affected prefectures and demanded the submission of a radiation inspection certificate as a condition for imports of meat, chicken eggs and seafood.

Japan also hopes the resumption of exports to Hong Kong might lead to the easing of import restrictions by other countries.