Hong Kong seizes Japanese fish products suspected of breaching nuclear ban
Hong Kong's food safety authority has seized two boxes of almond fish jerky from Saitama, Japan, suspected of violating an import ban imposed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The consignment was made after 24 August 2023, the cutoff date for banned products. The importer faces possible prosecut
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of Hong Kong is investigating a suspected breach of the Food Safety Order (the Order) related to imported aquatic products from Japan. The CFS said on 6 November that during an inspection of a Japanese food consignment, it found two boxes of almond fish jerky that were manufactured, processed and packaged in Saitama Prefecture after the Order came into effect. The importer is suspected of violating the Order.
Under the Order, all live, frozen, chilled, dried or otherwise preserved aquatic products, sea salt, and unprocessed or processed seaweed originating from 10 Japanese prefectures – Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama – are banned from entering Hong Kong and from being supplied within the territory if they were harvested, manufactured, processed or packaged on or after 24 August 2023.
The CFS said it will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action, including notifying the relevant Japanese authorities. If sufficient evidence is found, the CFS will prosecute the importer concerned. The investigation is ongoing.
The ban was originally imposed in response to the discharge of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which began in August 2023.
