Qatar has lifted restrictions on food imports from Japan, imposed some six years ago, following a nuclear accident at Fukushima.
“The ministry has decided to abolish the additional precautionary measures on food imported from Japan and to apply the control procedures applied to food imported from other countries,” said the Ministry of Public Health in a statement yesterday.
The move is based on scientific evidences published in this regard and in coordination with the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Japan.
The ministry had taken a number of precautionary measures to control the food imported from Japan after the radioactive leakage at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
A massive earthquake triggered a tsunami that ravaged the north-east Japanese coast in March 2011. It crippled the Fukushima power station, causing meltdowns in three of its reactors and a radioactive leakage.
Following this, more than 40 countries, including GCC nations imposed restrictions on Japan food imports fearing possible radiation contamination. Bahrain was the first Gulf country to lift the restrictions, followed by UAE.
The ministry stressed that all the food items imported from Japan were verified and were found to be free of radioactive contamination, since restrictions on import were placed.
However, market sources say that the move would not have a major impact on the Qatari market as the import quantity was rather insignificant.
“Japanese food items were mainly used by Japanese residents in the country and mainly hotel industry. So we won’t be seeing any significant change in the market,” according to an official at a leading retail chain, here.
“Japan food imports includes, various pastas, noodles, and rice products. Also there are various sauces and frozen sea food items,” he said. Japanese meat which are special cuts were used in hotel industry, according to an importer.
