Top Japanese diplomat in Hong Kong urges end to ban on seafood imports from country after G7 nations say Fukushima restrictions should be axed

The Japanese consulate in Hong Kong has implored the city's government to ease its ban on seafood imports from Japan. They argue that it's disheartening to witness the negative impact on local businesses that offer Japanese food. Consul general Okada Kenichi voiced this concern on Tuesday, a mere two days after the G7 nations requested an 'immediate repeal' of import bans on Japanese food products. He has been persistently appealing to the government to rescind the ban, which was imposed following Japan's decision to release treated radioactive water from the decommissioned Fukushima power plant. This plea echoes a similar call from the Group of Seven nations.

Okada Kenichi expressed his distress over the struggles of Japanese businesses in Hong Kong, whose sales have plummeted due to unfounded rumors. He pledged to continue providing the Hong Kong government with necessary information and strongly advocated for the prompt removal of import restrictions on Japanese products, citing scientific evidence. He also extended an invitation to officials to visit Fukushima to gain a deeper understanding of the discharge process. He quoted the proverb, 'Seeing is believing,' suggesting that a firsthand experience in Fukushima would convince the government of the propriety and reliability of their actions.

The diplomat emphasized that the G7 nations endorsed Japan's call for rational responses to the release plan, grounded in scientific evidence. In the aftermath of this decision, Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China tightened import restrictions on Japanese seafood, and Russia announced a similar ban earlier this month. At the media briefing on Tuesday, nuclear experts and Japanese officials assured that Japan's approach to decommissioning the Fukushima power plant was safe, transparent, and scientifically sound. The discharge of the water would not pose any threat to human health or the aquatic environment, according to Gerry Thomas, a former professor of molecular pathology at the Imperial College of London.