Taiwan lifts 11-year Japanese food import ban

They will adopt measures to ensure safety of the products and public health.

Taiwan has lifted the 11-year ban on Japanese food import but will continue implementing safety regulations to ensure protection of public health.

Executive Yuan Spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng stated in a press conference that most nations are allowing importation of Japanese food and Taiwan “must also return to scientific evidence and keep up with times.”

Executive Yuan said that to protect public health it will adopt safety measures stricter than international standards.

Taiwan, on 25 March 2011, suspended imports of all foods from Fukushima and four nearby prefectures following the 11 March 2011 massive earthquake and nuclear disaster.

The spokesperson added that only Taiwan and China maintain a ban on all food imports from Fukushima and surrounding region.

“As a government that stands for public food safety based on scientific evidence, as well as a country oriented towards foreign trade, we cannot disregard international standards or scientific evidence if we want to join international trade bodies and gain entry to the high-standard [Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership] CPTPP,” Lo said.

Lo said they will adopt three complementary measures of shifting import bans from “specific regions to specific products, requiring proof of radiation testing, and proof of origin for at-risk products, and conducting batch-by-batch border inspection of food products from Fukushima and the four neighbouring prefectures.”

Executive Yuan said that more than 40 countries have completely lifted restriction on Japanese food import including all 11 members of the CPTPP.