TOKYO: The European Union said Thursday that it will scrap import restrictions on Japanese food products introduced in response to the 2011 meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

At present, the EU requires certificates of radiation inspections for some food products from 10 Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima, where the power plant is located. This measure will be lifted as early as August.

The EU timed the announcement to coincide with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Brussels to hold talks with EU leaders.

If Norway, Switzerland and others that have implemented similar measures follow suit, China, Macau, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Russia will be among the few remaining countries and regions still maintaining import restrictions on Japanese food products.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong on Wednesday said that it will ban imports of fishery products from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima if treated wastewater from the Fukushima plant is released into the ocean.

China and some others have indicated that they will strengthen their import restrictions if Japan goes ahead with the water release. Such measures would deliver a blow to the Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries.

Forty-three economies, including the United States and Britain, have completely removed their import restrictions introduced in response to the nuclear disaster.

The EU has eased its measures gradually. The remaining restrictions affect such items as wild mushrooms and some fishery products from Fukushima.

JIJI Press