HK restaurant owners brace for Fukushima seafood ban
STORY: Hong Kong restauranteur Halry Yu fears he could lose up to 40%of his business once Japan release treated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
He is one of the Japanese restaurant owners in Hong Kong who are facing a looming ban on seafood imports from 10 Japanese prefectures.
Hong Kong's leader John Lee announced on Tuesday that the city would quote "immediately activate" import controls on Japanese seafood from August 24, the day Japan starts its release.
“If they ban imports that come via Tokyo, I think all sushi restaurants in Hong Kong will be in trouble, as 90% of seafood supplies to Hong Kong are gathered in and sent from Toyosu market in Tokyo. There are some seafood supplies from Osaka, but the variety is limited.”
Hong Kong is Japan's second largest market, after mainland China, for agricultural and fisheries exports
Japanese restaurants are popular here, and Japan's a favorite holiday destination for many residents.
Yu said he would try to salvage business by adding more meat to the menu.
Japan gave the date on Tuesday for discharging the wastewater after first announcing the move in July.
The plant was wrecked in a 2011 tsunami and the water has mostly been used to cool damaged reactors.
Approved by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Japan's plan has faced opposition at home and abroad over concerns of food safety. The country says releases will be safe and meet global standards.
Many Hong Kong customers dining in Japanese restaurants did not know about the ban.
Some customers remained cautious.
Dino Leung who was eating at a Japanese restaurant in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district, said he would eat other cuisines instead.
“I will eat less seafood, but I am not planning to have kids, so I am not afraid of getting impacted by radioactive materials. I will try to consume less, but Japanese food is really good."
Japan has asked Hong Kong officials not to tighten restrictions on food imports.
In 2022, Japan exported the equivalent of $536 million of fishery products to Hong Kong, according to government statistics.
