Japan gradually lifting ban on imported rice
Date: 11-Feb-02
Country: JAPAN
The government procurement body halted sales and distribution of all foreign rice already in Japan on January 25 after it found some bags of U.S. rice contained levels of lead that were higher than allowed by regulations.
On January 29, the agency lifted a ban on Australian rice after bags cleared safety checks.
Since then, it has gradually lifted bans on other imported rice, including some U.S., Thai and Chinese rice, after safety tests on the bags, the official said.
The agency said in a statement it had so far tested 369 bags of foreign rice as of Friday.
Of the total, 35 bags of Chinese rice were disqualified due to problems of higher than allowed levels of lead in the bags themselves, the statement said. Tests so far had shown no evidence that Chinese rice in the bags was tainted, it said.
The agency would lift the ban on rice in the disqualified bags after safety checks a replacement by other bags, it said.
As of Wednesday, the agency had lifted bans on the sale of some 6,000 tonnes of a total 23,000 tonnes of foreign rice in private distribution channels, the statement said.
The agency was conducting tests on another 94 bags containing imported rice, it said. The results would be made available late next week.
The agency currently holds 730,000 tonnes of foreign rice in stock, the official said.
Rice suppliers to Japan include the United States, Italy, Australia, Thailand, India, Vietnam and China.
