Japan urges scientific view of food as South Korea bans fish imports

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Friday called for South Korea to view its imports of Japanese food on a scientific basis following South Korea placing an import ban on all fisheries products from eight prefectures in Japan over safety fears. The ban includes imports from Fukushima Prefecture, home to the tsunami-ravaged Daiichi nuclear power plant that has leaked radioactive water into the adjacent Pacific Ocean, sparking international concern about the safety of Japan's fisheries' exports. But the top government spokesperson at a briefing Friday maintained that Japanese food and water are subjected to the world' s "toughest inspection standards" that are in line with international requirements, and urged South Korea to deal with its imports from here on a "scientific basis." "International standards are enforced on Japanese food, including marine products and we have strict safety management based on that," Suga said. "In cases where tests show radiation is above the standards, we prevent shipping and so these products will not be distributed to the market," Suga said, adding that there had been no adverse affects on the sea from tainted water leaking from the stricken Fukushima plant. Suga said the radioactive water that leaked into the sea only affected an area of 0.3 square kilometers within the bay surrounding the Fukushima plant. He said that even within that area, radiation levels are "far below those permitted," adding that "there is absolutely no effect." South Korean officials said Friday that all fishery products from radiation-affected regions in Japan will be banned from entering South Korea. They said the import ban would be upheld regardless of radioactive contamination and would be applicable to products from Fukushima, Aomori, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Iwate, Tochigi and Chiba prefectures. Local government and fishery officials from the prefectures affected by the ban voiced both their surprise and concern about the South Korean move Friday and said they will liaise closely with the central government here on how to proceed. According to an e-mailed statement from South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won's office, the decision was made due to " public concerns growing after radiation-contaminated water has leaked from the Fukushima nuclear plant." "It's uncertain how this situation has developed in Japan and it's difficult to predict the future only with the information provided by Japan so far," the statement read.