TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (食藥署) announced Monday (Sept. 1) that it will lift dual certification and 100% batch-by-batch inspection requirements for food imports from five Japanese prefectures, including Fukushima. The administration plans implementing this change by year's end, shifting to a source and border management system.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛生福利部) previously issued a draft Aug. 29 to abolish the "Types of Food and Their Production or Manufacturing Areas in Japan Whose Imports Are Suspended" (停止輸入查驗之日本食品品項別及其生產製造地區) regulation. The ministry will collect public opinions over a 60-day notice period. Chih-Kang Chiang (姜至剛), head of the Food and Drug Administration, said Taiwan adjusted its control measures based on international standards.
Taiwan banned food imports from Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Chiba prefectures following the Fukushima nuclear plant incident March 11, 2011. Chung-Liang Shih (石崇良), Minister of Health and Welfare, noted that while 53 countries initially imposed restrictions on Japanese food, only China, including Hong Kong and Macau, South Korea, and Russia maintain some or all restrictions today.
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration reported inspecting 21,717 batches of food from the five prefectures between Feb. 21, 2022, and July 31, 2025. All batches met Taiwan's and Japan's standards, with a non-compliance rate of 0%. Taiwan's risk assessment determined that radiation exposure risk from these foods is negligible.
