Fukushima sake raises health concerns

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Wed, April 25, 2018 | 03:26

Fukushima sake raises health concerns

Posted : 2014-09-14 15:19

Updated : 2014-09-14 17:46

By Jung Min-ho

Concerns are growing over the safety of Japanese food imports following a disclosure Wednesday that sake was imported from Fukushima, where a tsunami left a nuclear power plant seeping radiation three years ago.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea imported over 25 tones of the Japanese traditional alcohol beverage from March 2011 to this July.

The Korean government has banned importing rice from the area but allowed sake, which is made from fermented rice and water.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety sought to dispel concerns, saying that every batch of sake imported from Fukushima was tested and none showing signs of radioactive contamination was allowed into Korea.

Yet some people are not convinced.

"The ministry conducts just a sampling inspection, which cannot be trusted 100 percent," Rep. Rhee Mok-hee from the New Politics Alliance for Democracy said. "I have contacted government ministries and Korea Customs Service to get detailed information about what rice and water was used to make the products, but none was able to answer."

He said no Japanese sake is safe as the origins of the rice and water are unknown.

In addition to sake, Korea has imported products such as dried seasoned fish and candies from Fukushima.

Fukushima Prefecture is known as one of the leading sake-producing regions in Japan.

China imposed a ban on importing some products, including sake, from Fukushima, following the rector meltdown triggered by the earthquake and tsunami in April 2011.

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