It has been 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company in 11 days, but the damage caused by rumors about foods produced in Fukushima Prefecture is still continuing.
The government is continuously investigating the concentration of radioactive substances such as agriculture, forestry and fishery products, mainly in the affected areas.
In the first inspection conducted in 2011 after the earthquake, 3.4% of the total exceeded the standard value, covering a wide range of items such as rice, vegetables, fruits, and marine products.
This year, as of December last year, some mushrooms and edible wild plants exceeded the standard value to 0.025% of the total.
Japan's standard value is 10 times stricter than international rules, and if it exceeds the standard value, shipping will be restricted, so the government says that it is sufficiently safe.
However, in a survey of consumers, 8.1% of people hesitated to buy food from Fukushima prefecture because of radioactive substances, and 6.1% in the three affected prefectures, eight years before the survey started. Although it has dropped to less than half, the damage caused by rumors is still continuing.
Overseas, after the earthquake, imports of some Japanese food products were restricted in up to 54 countries and regions, but so far 39 countries such as Canada and Australia have abolished them.
However, six countries and regions such as Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and South Korea are still suspending imports of some foods such as those produced in Fukushima Prefecture, and the EU and the United Kingdom have submitted inspection certificates for radioactive substances. And so on.
The government will proactively disseminate information on food safety and strive to eliminate reputational damage at home and abroad.