Governor publicizes safety of Fukushima foods in Europe

March 23, 2018

London- Fukushima Governor Masao Uchibori kicked off Thursday a tour of Britain and France to publicize the safety of foods from his prefecture in northeastern Japan.

In London on Thursday, Uchibori met with officials of British importing companies to sell Fukushima products and develop their sales channels.

The governor also paid a courtesy call on Mark Field, British minister of state for Asia and the Pacific.

Uchibori said to Field that the people of Fukushima are profoundly grateful for the warm, generous support from Britain over the seven years since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

Before the meeting, Field enjoyed dried peaches from Fukushima offered by the governor.

On Thursday evening, a reception was held at the Japanese embassy in London for some 200 Japanese and British guests to taste foods and drinks from Fukushima, including the prefecture's specialty rice "Ten no Tsubu," dishes using "wagyu" Japanese beef, locally brewed sake and peach juice.

Uchibori's European tour was planned after the European Union lifted in December last year its restrictions on imports of some foods from Japan, such as rice grown in Fukushima. The restrictions were imposed due to concern over contamination with the radioactive fallout from the nuclear accident. Jiji Press