EU import restrictions on Japanese agricultural products are expected to be relaxed by the end of the year.
It turned out that the EU = European Union was telling the Japanese government that the import restrictions on Japanese agricultural and marine products that had continued since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant could be relaxed by the end of this year.
Since the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the EU has been obliged to attach a certificate indicating that it meets the safety standards for radioactive substances when importing agricultural and marine products from 12 prefectures.
Regarding this, when Prime Minister Abe and EU President Yunker met in Belgium in late last month, Mr. Yunker told the prospect that regulations could be relaxed by the end of the year if procedures in the EU proceed smoothly. I understand.
The target items are Iwate, Tochigi and Chiba prefectures, all items, soybeans from Fukushima prefecture, and seafood from Miyagi, Ibaraki and Gunma prefectures, as well as Ibaraki, Niigata and Nagano prefectures. With mushrooms, it is no longer necessary to attach a radioactive substance inspection certificate.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regards the EU, including many European countries, as having significant significance for deregulation, and is striving to urge other countries that still have regulations to be abolished as soon as possible.