Hong Kong to expand ban on Japanese sea products over Fukushima nuke plant water release

Hong Kong leader John Lee, on Tuesday (July 11), said that the city would “definitely” expand the ban on seafood products from a large number of Japanese prefectures if Tokyo moves forward with the plan to discharge treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

What did Hong Kong leader say?

Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said that the city’s current ban on shipments from one Japanese prefecture would “definitely” be expanded if Japan moves forward with its plan.

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Japan has been facing backlash and opposition, both domestically and internationally from some countries, despite repeated reassurances, for its plan to release treated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant, with China being its fiercest critic.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, released last week after a two-year review, showed that the water release would have a negligible impact on the environment.

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The United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi also assured that there are no issues with the process and that one “can drink [the water] and swim in it, too.” The process will take 30 to 40 years to complete.

But Hong Kong and China are among the countries that are not convinced. “If the exercise really starts, we’ll be banning a large number of prefectures’ sea products,” said the Hong Kong leader.

The city’s secretary for the environment and ecology has been asked to form a multi-department team to design an action plan for the same. The government will take “decisive action” against the issue, said Lee.

He added, “The catering industry will be affected, but I am sure that they will understand that we’re forced to make a decision because of this unprecedented exercise.”

The restrictions could also impact Japan’s economy and fishing communities as Tokyo exported $536 million worth of fishery products to its second-biggest importer, Hong Kong, according to Japanese government statistics.

China reiterates opposition to Japan’s plan

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, in a press briefing, said the IAEA report is not a “free pass” for Japan to release the “problematic water,” reported Reuters.

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In a seeming response to Grossi’s remarks about the water being safe enough to drink and swim in, Wang said that if that’s the case, we suggest that Japan uses the “contaminated water for [drinking and swimming], instead of discharging it into the sea and making the international community anxious,” as quoted by Reuters.

Wang also reiterated that the IAEA report had “failed to fully reflect views from experts” who participated in the review.

China, the biggest market for Japan’s fisheries exports, recently announced a ban on the import of food products from 10 Japanese prefectures citing safety concerns and said it would step up testing for radioactive substances.

(With inputs from agencies)

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