Eight out of 10 residents of Fukushima prefecture are comfortable buying local produce four year ears after the nuclear accident in 2011, according to a survey by local consumer groups.
Over the last year, this figure has grown by 10 percentage points., indicating growing confidence in the safety of food harvested in the prefecture, and easing concerns despite persistent rumours since the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant.
When asked which local produce they most often purchased, some 78% said they bought goods harvested in the area, while just 8% said they only bought domestically harvested products that were not from Fukushima or neighbouring prefectures.
Of 1,045 responses, 43.9% said the reason they bought locally processed foods was because they believed the safe, 272.2% cited their taste and 16.7% said they were supporting local industry.
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Last week, Taiwan imposed new restrictions on Japanese food after hundreds of products were recalled when labels were found that disguised the fact that the food came from areas affected by the Fukushima crisis.
Now, all food imports from Japan must now carry certificates to prove they are not from the five banned prefectures worse hit by the disaster, while some also need “radiation inspection certificates,” according to the Taiwan’s Ministry of health and Welfare.
In Hong Kong, officials have been criticised for lax surveillance of food imports, with the possibility that contaminated food has been entering the city unnoticed for years because of deficiencies in safety controls on fresh produce.
In May, the South China Morning Post reported a report criticising surveillance at the Kwai Chung container terminal.
“We do not know if there is more banned food being sold in the city that has not been discovered by the government,” said Helena wong Pik-wan, a Hong Kong politician.
Read more at Fukushima locals confident of produce as neighbours raise inspections
