China Expands Ban for Importing Food, Farm Produce from Japan

China has expanded a ban on imported food and farm produce from Japan, in both varieties and places of origin, amid growing fears of radiation contamination.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in a statement published on Friday said that starting from April 8, China banned imports of foodstuffs, edible farm produce, along with fodders from 12 areas in Japan, comparing only five Japanese counties being blacklisted on March 24.

AQSIQ demanded that importers of food, edible farm produce and fodders from other Japanese areas should also provide documents issued by Japanese government agencies while applying for quality inspection and quarantine at customhouses across China.

The required documents include certificates for radioactivity-free inspection and for places of origin.

Chinese quality inspection and quarantine organizations were told to carry out radioactive tests over imported food, edible farm produce and fodders from Japan and to give go-ahead for those imports that are up to standards. Imports of the kinds from Japan failing to meet the standards should be stopped from entering Chinese market and be made known to the public.

Different quality inspection and quarantine organizations should also run a registration as stipulated of all overseas exporters or agents for exporting food from Japan to China, said the statement.

AQSIQ also asked importers of Japanese food products to establish a tracking system for imports and marketing, keeping for the record such details as name of the food, date of manufacture, shelf life, as well as buyers' and exporters' information for further contact.

Importers of Japanese aquatic products must go through formalities for quarantine inspection in advance. They must also provide information such as place of origin and route of transportation.

The Chinese quality regulator asked local authorities to intensify radiation checks on Japanese food and farm produce to prevent radiation-tainted imports from entering the domestic market of China.