International Law

Food safety

By Karl-Friedrich Lenz

This morning’s Government press conference is now viewable at the Government live stream site (21st, six PM).

Chief cabinet secretary Edano explained the aggressive food safety measures the Government has decided. Many vegetables from the affected regions are stopped from entering the market, even if at the levels measured right now they are no immediate danger to the health of consumers.

In answer to a question about American border measures stopping Japanese imports he said that Japan has a history of very strict food safety standards, which can easily raise questions about unfair market restrictions under WTO. Therefore the Japanese Government wants to ascertain exactly what the Americans are blocking, and if there is a rational reason for doing so, before reacting to this development.

In answer to another question he said that there are no computer models on spread of radiation that can predict exactly what will happen next, since they don’t have data about the amount leaked at Fukushima. It is also not possible to calculate the amount of radiation leaked from the radiation levels in other parts of the country.

Addressing the problem of unfounded fears about food safety, Edano stressed that the Government has very strict standards in place, meaning that anything not stopped is safe. And he also said that there is still much to be done to educate the public.

Full post as published by Lenz Blog on March 23, 2011 (boomark / email).