Taiwan insists on labeling rules for Japan's food imports

Want China Times, CNA 2015-04-18

A selection of Japanese products sold at a store in Taoyuan which may pose
radiation risks, March 28. (Photo courtesy of Department of Public Health, Taoyuan)

Taiwan will enforce as scheduled a new directive that requires imported food from Japan to be labeled with its place of origin and proof that it is radiation free, vice health minister Shiu Ming-neng said Friday.

The directive has been issued and it's not possible to rescind it, Hsu told reporters after meeting with three visiting Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry officials.

The Japanese officials asked during the meeting for Taiwan to remove the requirement and offered more data related to radiation risks, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

But Hsu said the new directive will be enforced starting on May 15 as scheduled. He added that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is compiling scientific research and risk assessments on radiation safety.

Asked if the measure will affect trade, Hsu said the issue will be handled by the ministries of foreign and economic affairs.

The directive was made after Japanese food products from areas affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 were found last month sold in local supermarkets despite a ban.

The FDA imposed a ban on food products from the Japanese prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant melted down in March 2011 and contaminated parts of those regions with radioactive substances.

Taiwan's authorities found that the food imports from those areas made their way into Taiwan after information on the packaging indicating their place of origin were covered up by Chinese-language stickers showing a different place of origin.

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