US lifts final import restrictions on Japanese farm products

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – The US has lifted all import restrictions on Japan’s agricultural products imposed after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

It removes the remaining 100 items, produced in 14 prefectures, from the restriction list.

The government of Japan had continued to strongly request the lifting of the import restrictions, including on the occasion of the Japan-US Summit in April.

"The relevant authorities of Japan and the U.S. had a series of consultations based on scientific grounds, which led to this decision," the ministry said.

The move has been welcomed by Japan, which comes ahead of the upcoming visit by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the US.

“It is a move that people in the disaster-hit areas have been waiting for, and something that will greatly contribute to the recovery of those places. Japan welcomes this step very much,” he said on Twitter.

Japan saw widespread devastation when the Fukushima​​​​​​​ nuclear plant suffered massive damages in a powerful earthquake and consequent tsunami, claiming over 15,000 lives.