G/SPS/GEN/1233/Rev.3  
 
13 July 2021 
(21-5565) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
CURRENT STATUS AFTER THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ACCIDENT  
COMMUNICATION FROM JAPAN  
Revision  
The following communication, received on 13 July  2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Japan . 
 
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ABSTRACT  
In response to the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) 
in 2011, Japan has taken a comprehensive approach in securing  food safety. The accumulated 
monitoring data demonstrates that the contamination level is very low and Japanese food has been 
safe for the public. The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has 
evaluated that measures to monit or and respond to issues regarding radionuclide contamination of 
food are appropriate, that the food supply chain is controlled effectively by the relevant authorities 
and that the public food supply is safe. The m ajority of the countries and regions which  provisionally 
introduced import measures on Japanese food has lifted them based on the scientific evidence, and 
the number of countries and regions which still maintain the measures are reduced to 14. Given the 
provided evidence, there is no need to impos e additional import control measures and Japan calls on 
Members to remove existing measures. Regarding the discharge of the ALPS (Advanced Liquid 
Processing System) treated water, Japan takes measures based on the international standards and 
international practice, fully taking into account the impact on the environment as well as the health 
and safety of people, and continues to receive IAEA reviews and provide relevant information to the 
international community.  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  In response to the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power 
Station (NPS) in March 2011, 54 countries and regions introduced import measures on Japanese food, 
and 40 have lifted them based on objective assessment. However, 14 countries and  regions still 
maintain import measures, such as import bans, additional test requirement and certificates, and 
non-detectable level tolerance at border inspection tests.  
1.2.  This document updates the situation of radioactivity surrounding Japanese food, 10 years after 
the accident at the NPS. In particular, this paper provides an update  on the risk management measures 
taken to secure food safety and to prevent environmental im pacts from the NPS, and the resulting 
monitoring data, so that a more objective assessment of risk and review of the import measures on 
Japanese food provisionally adopted by the Members would be facilitated.  
2  FOOD SAFETY CONTROL AND STATUS OF SAFETY IN JAP ANESE FOOD  
2.1.  Japan, soon after the accident, started decontamination such as of the crop land and fruit trees, 
control over feed and agricultural input and introduced a risk -based food monitoring scheme. 
The effective dose from dietary intake has also been s urveyed.  G/SPS/GEN/1233/Rev.3  
 
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  2.2.  Japanese maximum permissible levels for radioactive caesium in food (JMLs)1 were set to meet 
the intervention exemption level of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), 1mSv/year, a level 
considered as safe for the public, and in consideration  of the released nuclides and with highly 
conservative and hypothetical assumptions in the safe side, including that 50% of the food intake is 
contaminated. Accordingly, the JML for food in general is set as 100 Bq/kg, while the corresponding 
Codex guideli ne level is 1,000 Bq/kg and even 10,000 Bq/kg can be adopted for food with small 
consumption (CXS 193 -1995).  
2.3.  The monitoring has covered a wide variety of items including that consumed in large amounts 
and with elevated concentration of radionuclides in con sideration of the effective dose. The monitoring 
plans have been annually revised, reflecting the past test results, focusing on the items with higher 
concentration (targeted sampling). Testing samples have been reduced2, especially in farm products, 
due to undetectable level of radioactivity. The results in JFY2020 are all within the Codex guideline 
levels considered as safe for human consumption.  
2.4.  Non-compliance cases are limited to seasonal wild harvests rarely consumed and traded in local 
niche market.3 The national laws mandate that items exceeding the stringent JMLs are recalled and 
disposed of, and their shipment is suspended. If there are exceeding cases in a particular item over 
an area, Japan suspends shipment of the item from the area. Japan's re gulatory framework thus 
prevents the food exceeding the JMLs from neither entering the food chain nor being exported. 
Non compliance in food imported from Japan has not been detected by the destination countries for 
more than seven  years4, while the non -compliance has been continuously detected by the 
European  Union  such as in mushrooms originated from countries affected by Chernobyl accident .5 
2.5.  The total dietary study conducted since September 2011 at plural sites including Fukushima 
shows that the estima ted annual effective dose from food intake remains digits smaller than the 
intervention exemption level of the Codex.6 Both food monitoring and dietary exposure assessment 
provide consistent evidence which confirm effectiveness of the control system in Ja pan and safety of 
Japanese food.  
2.6.  The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture stated in April 2021, 
"measures to monitor and respond to issues regarding radionuclide contamination of food are 
appropriate, that the food supply cha in is controlled effectively by the relevant authorities and that 
the public food supply is safe".  
2.7.  Eleventh March marked a decade after the Great East Japan Earthquake. A footage "Food Safety 
and Radionuclides after March 2011 " has been launched under our one-stop "Reference " website.  
3  WATER MANAGEMENT AT TEPCO FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR POWER STATION AND 
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BASIC POLICY ON HANDLING OF THE ALPS TREATED WATER  
3.1.  On 13 April 2021, Japan announced "the Basic Policy on handling of the Advanced Liquid 
Processing System (ALPS) treated water at TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) ". 
Japan selected discharge into the sea as the method of handling of the ALPS treated water.  
 
1 JMLs are 50Bq/kg for milk and infant food and 10Bq/kg for drinking water and 100Bq/kg for other food 
products.  
2 Approximately 280 thousand in JFY 2019 and 54 thousand in JFY 2020. The monitoring guideline was 
revised in March 2020, and beef samples were drastically reduced. Monitoring is mainly performed at the 
production stage. I t also includes wild harvests and products monitored for environmental risk assessment and 
NOT for sales.  
3 Monthly data of MHLW published in JFY2020: Cs134+Cs137: 110 -1,700 Bq/kg, in seasonal wild 
harvests, i.e. leaf buds and uncommon mushrooms (0.3%, out  of around 7 thousand samples of marketed items, 
even by targeted sampling).  
4 The last case of non -compliance with JML detected in Japanese food was dried mushroom 
(Cs134+Cs137: 167Bq/kg), detected by Hong Kong in August 2013.  
5 Cs137: 674 -2,304 Bq/kg in mushrooms (in 2020 and January -June 2021).  
Source: RASFF Portal, European Commission  
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff -window/portal/?event=searchResultList . 
6 Result s of biannual market basket surveys: Effective dose from radioactive caesium was around 
0.0010mSv/year in early 2020, 1/1,000 of the intervention exemption level.  G/SPS/GEN/1233/Rev.3  
 
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  3.2.  The actual discharge is subject to the approval of the Nuclear Regulation Authority and will be 
conducted approximately after two years from the announcement of the basic policy, in a way 
complying with the regulatory standards set based on international standards. To ensure the safety, 
the review will be co nducted by the IAEA.  
3.3.  On 22 April 2021, the IAEA provided their assessment on the sea area monitoring results during 
September to December 2020 and stated "no significant changes were observed in the monitoring 
results for seawater, sediment and marine biot a", "the levels measured by Japan in the marine 
environment are low and relatively stable". Japan will assess the potential impact on the marine 
environment prior to the actual discharge and continue monitoring after the discharge, with continuous 
disclosu re of relevant information.  
3.4.  Japan has been publishing food and environmental monitoring data, as well as relevant 
information concerning the NPS, through our one -stop "Reference " website. The status of seawater 
around the NPS can be viewed in real -time thr ough TEPCO website and weekly at Nuclear Regulation 
Authorities' website.  
3.5.  Japan has continuously explained the status of TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi NPS and its 
consideration on handling of the ALPS treated water to the international community by providing 
accurate information based on scientific evidence to the IAEA, holding briefing sessions and sharing 
monthly reports with the diplomatic missions in Tokyo, and through other means. Japan has received 
IAEA review missions since the accident at Fukushima Daiich i NPS, and disclosed the findings of the 
missions. Japan will continue such efforts.  
4  CONCLUSION  
4.1.  In summary, the evidence shows that Japanese food has been safe for the public for many years 
and we have a very effective control system in place which guarant ees trade of safe food and that 
fulfils the national standard, for both domestic and international market s. 
4.2.  The joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has evaluated that 
Japan's measures and response against radionuclide contam ination in food are appropriate and that 
the food supply chain is controlled effectively, and that the public food supply is safe. Japan keeps the 
monitoring data and relevant information highly transparent and continues collaboration with the 
internationa l organizations.  
4.3.  Risk of water contamination at NPS is constructively managed and there has been no detectable 
change in marine environment and the biota. Japan will implement the discharge of the ALPS treated 
water in accordance with international practic e and strictly comply with regulatory standards regarding 
safety. Thus, the discharge cannot be a reason for imposing import measures on Japanese food.  
4.4.  Given the evidence  provided , there is no need to impose additional control measures on Japanese 
food and  Japan calls on Members to remove their measures.  
References  
One stop "Reference", Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan  
http://www.maff.go.jp/e/export/reference.html  
 
Presentations  
1) Request and justification for lifting import measures on Japanese food regarding radionuclides, 
Food Industry Affairs Bureau, MAFF  
2) Announcement of the Basic Policy on handling of the ALPS treated water at TEPCO’s Fukushima 
Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METI  
 
Links - Japan  
1) Information on the Great East Japan Earthquake – Food, Mini stry of Health, Labour  and Welfare  
(https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/2011eq/index_food.html ) G/SPS/GEN/1233/Rev.3  
 
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  2) Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap towards the Decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai ichi 
Nuclear  Power  Station  Units 1-4 
(https://www.meti.go.jp/english/earthquake/nuclear/decommissioning/index.html ) 
a) Briefing Session on the Basic Policy of Hand ling of Multi -nuclide Removal Equipment 
(ALPS) Treated Water at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, April 2021 
(https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2021/0413_001.html )) 
b) ALPS treated  water  (including  the Basic Policy) 
(https://www.meti.go.jp/english/earthquake/nuclear/decommissioning/atw.html ) 
3) BOOKLET to Provide Basic  Information Regarding Health Effects of Radiation,  
Chapter 7 Environmental Monitoring, Ministry of Environment 
(http://www.env.go.jp/en/chemi/rhm/basic -info/index.html ) 
4) Monitoring information of environmental radioactivity level, Nuclear Regulation Authorities  - 
(https://radioactivity.nsr.go.jp/en/ ) 
5) Radioactive Concentration measured by Seawater Radiation Monitor near Fukushima Daiichi 
Nuclear Power  Station   
(http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima -np/f1/seawater/index -e.html )  
 
Links - International organizations  
1) GENERAL STANDARD FOR CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FOOD AND FEED 
(CXS 193-1995)  
http://www.fao.org/fao -who-codexalimentarius/codex -texts/list -standards/en/  
2) IAEA, Fukushima Daiichi Status Updates  
https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/fukushima/status -update  
a. IAEA assessment on aspects presented in the February 2021  report "Events and 
highlights on the progress related to recovery operations at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi 
Nuclear Power Station",  pp.34-35 
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/21/04/events -and-highlights -february -
2021.pdf  
b. Interlaboratory Comparisons 2014 –2016: Determination of Radionuclides in Sea 
Water, Sediment and Fish, IAEA Analytical Quality in Nuclear Applications Series 
No. 59, 2019  
https://www.iaea.org/publications/13470/interlaboratory -comparisons -2014-2016- 
determination -of-radionuclides -in-sea-water -sediment -and-fish 
3) IAEA Follow -up Review of Progress Made on Management of ALPS Treated Water and the 
Report of the Subcommittee on Handling of ALPS treated water at TEPCO's Fukushima 
Daiichi Nuclear Power  Station, REVIEW REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN, Vienna, 
Austria, 2 April 2020  
https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/20/04/review -report -020420.pdf  
4) Annals of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), PUBLICATION  
103, The 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological 
Protection, p103 (Effective dose limit for the public:1mSv in a year)  
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/ANIB_37_2 -4 
 
 
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