Japan certifies fish exports to EU

Tokyo: Japan issued certificates for fish exports to the European Union after it said only products that don’t exceed radiation limits, or are from areas unaffected by a nuclear accident, would be allowed, the Fisheries Agency said.

Food produced in 12 prefectures closest to a crippled nuclear power station in Fukushima prefecture are required by the EU to be tested for radiation, according to the European Commission. Certificates of origin are required for products from other prefectures.

“So far we have issued documents to certify fish origins, as there were no exports of seafood from the 12 Japanese prefectures to Europe,” Miho Wazawa at the trade office of Japan’s Fisheries Agency said in a phone interview.

Russia’s food-safety watchdog restricted supplies of fish and marine products from 242 processors in Japan, joining the US and EU in limiting shipments.