18th September 2023 – (Hong Kong) In response to the Japanese government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, Hong Kong has taken measures to ensure food safety. The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order, prohibiting the importation and supply of aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweed from ten metropolis/prefectures in Japan, including Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano, and Saitama.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweed that are not subject to the import ban, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to ensure that radiation levels do not exceed the guideline levels before allowing these products to be sold in the market. As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is expected to continue for the next 30 years or more, the government will closely monitor and strengthen testing arrangements. If any anomalies are detected, the import ban may be further tightened.
In the past three days, the CFS has conducted radiological tests on 262 food samples imported from Japan, specifically in the category of “aquatic and related products, seaweed, and sea salt.” None of the samples exceeded the safety limit. Detailed information can be found on the CFS’s thematic website dedicated to control measures on foods imported from Japan.
In addition, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also conducted radiological tests on 50 samples of locally caught seafood, and all samples passed the tests. Detailed information on the AFCD’s testing can be found on their official website.
To ensure environmental safety, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has enhanced monitoring of local waters and has not detected any anomalies thus far. More information on the HKO’s monitoring efforts can be found on their website.
Since 24th August, a total of 3,794 samples of food imported from Japan, including 2,166 samples of aquatic products, seaweed, and sea salt, and 1,252 samples of local catch, have undergone radiological testing conducted by the CFS and the AFCD. All samples have passed the tests, indicating compliance with safety standards.
Hong Kong remains committed to safeguarding the food safety of its residents and will continue to monitor the situation closely while implementing necessary measures to ensure the well-being of the public.