TOKYO: Switzerland and Liechtenstein have lifted their import restrictions on Japanese food products introduced in response to the 2011 nuclear disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.

The two countries no longer require that certificates of radiation checks be submitted for some food products made in 10 prefectures including Fukushima.

Their action has lowered the number of economies with import restrictions on Japanese food products due to the nuclear disaster at the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. plant to seven, including China, Hong Kong and South Korea.

The European Union, Norway and Iceland abolished their restrictions Aug. 3. Switzerland and Liechtenstein followed suit.

Japan welcomes the removal, which helps the reconstruction of areas hit hard by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear disaster, agriculture minister Tetsuro Nomura told a press conference.

JIJI Press