India slaps ban on all Japan food imports
NEW DELHI India on Tuesday banned all food imports from Japan, citing fears over radioactive contamination from the country's nuclear disaster.
A government statement said the three-month ban could be extended until "such time as credible information is available that the radiation hazard has subsided to acceptable limit."
"Since the radiation is spreading/expanding horizontally in other parts of Japan, it may result in further radioactive contamination in the supply chain of food exports from Japan," the Indian government statement said.
Several countries, including China, Taiwan, Singapore and the United States, have banned shipments of produce from certain Japanese prefectures while others are monitoring radiation levels in Japanese shipments.
India, which is the first nation to impose a blanket ban, imports small quantities of fruits, vegetables and processed food from Japan.
The decision was taken after "detailed discussions" involving government nuclear, toxicology and customs officials, the government statement said.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India will carry out a weekly review of potential radiation hazards on food articles coming from Japan, the statement added.
More than three weeks after Japan's earthquake and tsunami, the crisis at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant northeast of Tokyo remains unresolved.
The plant's reactor cooling systems were knocked out, triggering explosions and fires.
The plant has sent radioactive material into the air, contaminating farm produce and drinking water. Radioactive water has seeped into the Pacific Ocean but officials stress there is no imminent health threat.
AFP: India slaps ban on all Japan food imports