Deputy Foreign Minister Andrew Kao says that Taiwan and Japan are set to discuss restricted food imports when the two sides meet for economic talks in Taipei this week. Kao was speaking in a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee on Monday.
Right now Taiwan has restrictions on food products coming from five cities and prefectures that were affected by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011. A local Japanese official who visited Taiwan in October had called on the Taiwan government to lift those restrictions.
But during Monday’s committee meeting, opposition lawmaker, Tsai Huang-Liang from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said that Japan had also restricted Taiwanese food products. In particular, Japan has placed restrictions on oil products following a series of food safety scandals affecting edible oils in Taiwan. Tsai questioned whether Taiwan should consider lifting restrictions on Japanese products if Japan continues to restrict Taiwanese oils.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kao responded by saying that the two sides were simply preparing to discuss the issue. He said that they would not consider opening up Taiwan to the imports until they are proven to be safe.