Singapore to lift restriction on food imports from Japan’s Fukushima

Some economies still restrict food imports from Japan. (Photo: Reuters)

Hanoi, (VNA) - Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore will remove restrictions on food imports from Japan’s Fukushima prefecture. These restrictions were imposed after the nuclear accident in 2011.

Lee made the announcement during a phone talk on May 25 with his Japanese counterpart Suga Yoshihide.

The two sides pledged to cooperate in the coming time for the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccine for developing countries.

Singapore is one of 54 countries and territories that have applied restrictions on foodstuff and aquaculture products from Fukushima after the incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Many countries and territories later eased the restriction and there are only 15 countries and territories remaining in the list now.

In January 2020, Singapore removed the ban on foodstuff imports from some cities in Fukushima on the condition that shipments must have certificates of place of origin and checks for radioactive cesium.

PM Suga and his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong also agreed to work together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including by stepping up economic and defence cooperation./.