China restricts food supplies from Japan due to decision to dump water from Fukushima-1

The General Administration of Customs (GTU) of China imposes a ban on the import of food products from 10 prefectures in Japan. The department announced this on the WeChat social network.

“In order to prevent the import of contaminated Japanese food into China and to ensure the safety of imported food for Chinese consumers, Chinese customs impose a ban on the import of food from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima,” – transmits message from the Izvestia department.

The GTU clarified that it will also strengthen control over accompanying documents for products from other prefectures in Japan. The message from customs does not say when the ban will take effect.

On July 4, the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) deemed safe plans by the operator of the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima-1, Tokyo Electric Power, to dump accumulated tritium-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. It was used to cool the power units of the nuclear power plant damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, it can no longer be stored at the plant site. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that the discharge of treated water “will have a negligible radiation impact on the population and the environment.” The decision was made after two years of research by IAEA experts.

China condemned Japan’s actions, and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the Japanese side to “stop pushing the plan to dump polluted water into the ocean, dispose of radioactive wastewater in a scientifically sound, safe and transparent way.”