Hong Kong to Resume Import of Meat, Eggs from Fukushima and Other Affected Areas

Hong Kong will resume importing the meat and eggs from Fukushima Prefecture and 4 other prefectures in Kanto most affected by the nuclear fallout.

Why? Because there will be an official government piece of paper accompanying the meat, attesting the safety from radiation contamination. Bureaucrats will be bureaucrats, whether it's Japan or Hong Kong. Formality is all that matters.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (3/23/2012):

東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故の影響で香港への輸出が規制されている福島県など５県産の食肉と卵の輸出が再開される見通しとなった。

Export of meat and eggs to Hong Kong from 5 prefectures including Fukushima will resume shortly. The export was halted after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident.

　鹿野農相が２３日の閣議後記者会見で明らかにした。輸出に必要な検査証明書の書式が決まったためで、今後１週間程度の手続きを経て再開される。

Minister of Agriculture Kano disclosed the news during the press conference after the cabinet meeting on March 23. The format of the inspection certificate has been agreed upon, and the export will resume in about one week.

　日本の農林水産物の香港向け輸出額は１１１１億円（２０１１年）と全体の約４分の１を占め、国・地域別で最も多い。香港への輸出再開は、同様の理由で輸入を規制している中国の判断にも影響を与えそうだ。

Hong Kong is the largest market for Japanese agricultural and marine products. In 2011, the amount was 111.1 billion yen, one-quarter of the total export. Resumption of export to Hong Kong may affect the decision by China, who has halted import from Japan for the same reason.

　香港は、福島、群馬、栃木、茨城、千葉の５県産の卵と食肉の輸入を再開する条件として、日本政府に放射性物質の検査証明書を作成するよう要求していたが、これまで、証明書に記入する内容などが決まらず、輸出が再開できなかった。

Hong Kong had demanded that the Japanese government issue inspection certificates as a condition to resume import of eggs and meat from Fukushima, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Chiba. Up till now, the officials couldn't agree on what to put on the certificates, which prevented the restart of the trade.

Hong Kong, Taiwan, China are big importers of Japanese produce, which (used to) fetch premium for the look, taste, and safety.

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