Japan claims food products from Fukushima are safe but South Korea isn’t buying it
- Japanese foreign minister summoned Seoul’s ambassador to Tokyo
- Even in Japan, there is widespread mistrust of government’s assessment
Lee Soo-hun was summoned to the ministry after the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) appellate body for dispute settlement ruled on Thursday that Seoul was within its rights to ban fishery products from eight prefectures.
Tokyo filed a complaint with the WTO in August 2015, claiming the ban was too strict and contravened free trade rules. The dispute settlement panel sided with Tokyo in February 2018, although this latest decision overturns that ruling. The panel is the highest body for dispute settlement so Japan cannot appeal any further. South Korea has welcomed the decision and reiterated it will keep the ban in place.
“The government has been making all-out efforts to follow the principle of making the health and safety of the people a priority and the government highly appraises the WTO’s decision,” the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Energy said in a statement.
The Japanese government was less happy with the outcome, describing it as “extremely regrettable”.
“Even though the ruling did not acknowledge that South Korea’s measures comply with WTO rules, it is extremely regrettable that Japan’s argument was not approved,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “There is no change in Japan’s position of demanding that South Korea lift all the restrictions and we will pursue this via talks with South Korea.”
During his meeting with Lee, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono declared Japanese food products have been scientifically proven to be safe and said it was “very disappointing” South Korea had not rescinded the ban.