Japan wins WTO dispute against S Korea's import ban on Fukushima-related food

Interesting, that I believe is the first picture I have seen since the disaster that the workers at the site were not in full haza-mat suits. The air around the area must be "clean" enough. I wonder...

So it's my way or the highway, do as I say or else health be damned. Can't imagine the behavior if the shoe was on the other foot.

Some countries have maintained bans on imports, but South Korea is the only one that Japan has taken to the WTO.

Why the sick obsession? Seriously, why only SK?

who paid of whom to pull off this deal?

Good for the WTO.

Now Koreans will not buy ANY Japanese food because they never know if it may have originated in Fukushima or not. This was a stupid idea.

I don't see why Japan has any say in what imports other countries ban, or do not ban. Japan is certainly not one to take heed when other nations have a problem with its industries (whaling as an example). Why meddle with other nations' internal decisions?

This is the problem with trade these days, no one should be required by law to purchase foods or goods. You should be able to refuse buying anything you don't want to buy!

Just wait for the lawsuits that will come from the so called "free trade" agreement.

Wallace FredToday 07:35 am JST

So it's my way or the highway, do as I say or else health be damned. Can't imagine the behavior if the shoe was on the other foot.

No, it's a WTO ruling. Not Japan's.

Some countries have maintained bans on imports, but South Korea is the only one that Japan has taken to the WTO.

Why the sick obsession? Seriously, why only SK?

Because while other nations were reducing their bans, South Korea chose to increase them, mostly likely to protect their domestic market. This violated the WTO rules. Why your sick obsession with blaming Japan when South Kora is the one violating WTO rules?

I live here and I don't want anything from there...

Im well aware I can't control what restaurants use, and unfortunately have to trust labeling when shopping, its not that I think everything is definitely contaminated just I live here and want to keep my lifetime intake as low as possible.

Let's see....hmmm.....which do I buy and consume?

Food which is contaminated and mislabeled as to origin

OR

food that isn't?

Japan is pretty big on banned imports themselves to protect industries. Kind of hypocritical to tell Korea what to do.

I don't see why Japan has any say in what imports other countries ban, or do not ban.

Because they are members of the WTO, and that's how the WTO works.

What individuals choose to buy or not buy is up to them. When countries put up trade barriers it's a bad idea.

So Korea just highlights to its people that it has been forced to stop protecting them from possible contamination and that therefor they can not say what if any Japanese fish imports are safe, and leave it up to the consumers to decide. That should see a complete collapse of Japanese seafood imports which is probably not what the Japanese Government intended with bringing the complaint?

Good on the WTO to rebuke SK for breaking the rules! Even in trade SK doesn’t like playing by the rules and keeping to international agreements they themselves have signed do they?

SK better be careful, if they keep cheating and breaking the rules they will have to be expelled

what jurisdiction does the WTO have? anyone know? are its decisions (supposedly) binding? and if they are, how on earth would they force a country to import stuff they don't want to?

Why your sick obsession with blaming Japan when South Kora is the one violating WTO rules?

Are you visually impaired?

Some countries have maintained bans on imports,but South Korea is the only one that Japan has taken to the WTO.

Some countries have maintained bans on imports,but South Korea is the only one that Japan has taken to the WTO.

What's your point?

dcog - please cite examples of how SK does not abide by the rules. And also, please cite countries that DO always follow the rules.

In essence, people are being forced to accept food that may or may not be contaminated. The Japanese fell for it (in the name of kizuna), but others won't be fooled or intimidated. Hypocritical, considering the dirty tactics use and used when it comes to importing rice into Japan.

WTO rules aside, no country has a right to force it's product on another sovereign country especially if that product might be tainted. Of course if you feel inclined to consume irradiated food, then to each their own. But dont go kicking up a storm in a teacup if someone else prefers not to lose their lives to cancer.

Better to be visually impaired than mentally. South Korea was found by the WTO to in violation. They have the right to appeal which they undoubtedly will. To place blame on Japan in this instance is like blaming the victim of a crime for filing a suit in court.

Japan has not "forced" it's product on any country. No country can do that to another under normal circumstances,

But WTO members are obligated to follow it's rules.

"All members have joined the system as a result of negotiation and therefore membership means a balance of rights and obligations. They enjoy the privileges that other member-countries give to them and the security that the trading rules provide. In return, they had to make commitments to open their markets and to abide by the rules — those commitments were the result of the membership (or “accession”) negotiations. "

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org3_e.htm

all Korea has to do is require that the food be labeled from its point of origin, like it has too in Japan, well let Korean consumer decide if they want to eat it or not. I personally wont touch anything produced in that area, best to eat Hokkaido or west Japan produced food. I mean even people from Fukushima dont trust J gov testing and have their own private testing facilities.

Now Koreans will not buy ANY Japanese food because they never know if it may have originated in Fukushima or not. This was a stupid idea.

Japan imports lots of seafood from South Korea, so SK would suffer eventually if they won't buy Japanese seafood.

This is why North Korea needs nukes and reunification with South Korea. If Japan tried this under a united Korea with nukes, you can bet Japan won't be taking these false complaints to the WTO, and instead Korea could dictate the terms of the trade relationship.

The WTO has no authority anyway so South Korea should just ignore this and all other international rulings like they heroically did with the fake comfort women agreement.

 No country can do that to another under normal circumstances,

And yet Japan's singled out ONLY SK for asking for more checks on tainted products despite there being OTHER countries doing the same. Hence my question regarding the obsession. What a bizzire state of affairs when common sense is throttled for the sake of a quick buck.

Wallace FredToday  10:28 am JST

WTO rules aside, no country has a right to force it's product on another sovereign country especially if that product might be tainted.

But its not tainted. Its already been proven safe. Many country enforced the ban as a precautionary measure and the ban is slow being lifted. But Korea is not lifted the ban at all because they are using this as a way to protect their own agri business when CLEARLY there is no contamination.

But its not tainted.

I've got a treasure map to sell you if you truly believe this.

Its already been proven safe.

Is that so? Then why are most products from that region in local stores left almost untouched save for the unfortunate individual that can't read kanji? Even the natives won't touch them!!!!

The fact is that consumers a) don't trust food and produce from that area, and b) don't trust that food is always labelled correctly and that tests are not deliberately fudged. Japan has lost a lot of its credibility in this area. Markets should not be forced to buy products that they have minimal confidence in.

Seriously, why only SK?

Why waste the time and effort filling against multiple countries when you can file against one, then if you win the other countries know they will lose so they change their policies without having to go through the whole process.

That should see a complete collapse of Japanese seafood imports which is probably not what the Japanese Government intended with bringing the complaint?

Before SK tighten their restrictions in 2013 South Koreans were happy enough to buy 10.9 billion yen of Japanese seafood per year, the restrictions caused it to drop by 2.5 billion a year. Expectations would be that without the restrictions it would return to the previous higher level. That would be the intention of bringing the complaint.

 I personally wont touch anything produced in that area, best to eat Hokkaido or west Japan produced food.

But SK's restrictions applied to 8 prefectures not just Fukushima.

And yet Japan's singled out ONLY SK for asking for more checks on tainted products despite there being OTHER countries doing the same.

So it doesn't count if they don't go for every last country out there?

There are an infinite number of reasons why they may have gone for SK only.

Even the natives won't touch them!!!!

Actually, that's a good point. It's true.

There are an infinite number of reasons why they may have gone for SK only.

With their track history? Yeah, sure....

So many weeaboos in here today.

You can say that again.

Japan imports lots of seafood from South Korea, so SK would suffer eventually if they won't buy Japanese seafood. ask the average Japanese of they prefer to eat seafood caught near Fukushima, or Korean seafood caught in a different ocean, I think youd be surprised.

It's ultimately South Korea's decision, and that's why these non-binding judgements mean little or nothing. And now that they've expressed desire to appeal, they can keep the ban in place for that much longer without the "official" condemnation of the WTO. Remember, there's not a very positive reaction to Japan's announcements that, "We're going to give ambassadors and athletes this food to prove it's safe!" because it takes away choice and forces it on others. THe SK decision to ban the products may take away the choice from consumers there, but what the Japanese government wants is to force it on the market despite not taking the safety precautions SK legitimately wants.

Imagine what the outrage here would be if Trump demanded autos and parts be forced on the market, or their beef be imported without Japan's required testing, which many say is "unnecessary". Or... is that "different" because it's Japan rejecting it?

OssanAmerica: "To place blame on Japan in this instance is like blaming the victim of a crime for filing a suit in court."

TEPCO is not the victim of crimes, and the victims in Japan -- the farmers -- were not victimized by SK but by the nuclear industry and the government here. Don't blame SK for taking measures to ban products from a nation WELL KNOWN for covering up the extent of damage to the environment and water/food supplies that lead to deformities and disease. Never heard of Minamoto Disease? Never heard the government here say countless times "It's under control" with Fukushima? etc.

"Japan imports lots of seafood from South Korea, so SK would suffer eventually if they won't buy Japanese seafood"

SK hasn't lied about contamination or even had it, for that matter. It would simply be tit-for-tat childishness.

zichiToday  12:03 pm JST

This smells more of political issues like the comfort women statues than WTO issues. South Korea refusal to accept the agreement on the issue of comfort women. The SK leader willing to go north for talks.

"Thank you for providing radiation levels and maping links. This isn't a loaded question, I was just wondering if you found any other sources that match those findings besides TEPCO and the Japanese government?"

"As for SK's anoucement smelling of political issues, what does it matter? The real question should be, do you think it's ok to make someone or a country buy food or products they don't want? The reason for buying or not buying is erelevant, everyone and every country, should have a choice."

I agree with the other anti-Japan supporters here, how dare Japan complain to the WTO about South Korea's unproven and false trading infringements. Japan should be expelled from the WTO for reporting on friendly South Korea who only wants to improve ties, and especially when the Koreas are making such progress on reunification.

The WTO should also be disbanded anyway for coming to such a foolish judgement

Some seafood is contaminated by iodising radionuclides. It is obvious where they originate. Where the migrating fish consume, and where the ocean currents go. To export, consume and sell such seafood is paramount to murder.

To export, consume and sell such seafood is paramount to murder.

Shhhh, there's no common sense allowed here.

Seems like Japan is acting a bit like a bully in this instance. South Korea is allowing Japanese fish to enter its market except for Fukushima and nearby areas. Sounds fair. They should have a say most defenitely.

In a way this reminds me of how Japan is often the victim of bullying by the USSR...oops, Russia each time Japan wants to put up some minimal self defense system from incoming missiles. What right should Russia have in telling Japan where and what it can do in self-defense of its own citizens?

Talking anxiety about safety of foods of North-East Japan is already Taboo and “unpatriotic” in Present Japan.

Oh well, WTO has made its ruling.

Koreans will just avoid Japanese products altogether now. It's not like Japanese producers haven't been caught red handed with fraudulent labelling of origin of food items.

USA import a lot of seafood from Japan. Crab meat, variety of shrimps,, fish, dehydrated seaweeds, even oysters and crams. There is no Korean food on shelves.

Wow..seems like everyone and anyone 'against' consuming Fukushima produce and fish gets a heavy dose of negative hits. Rather FISHY

The real question should be, do you think it's ok to make someone or a country buy food or products they don't want?

No, because no one is being forced to buy anything. Basically Japan wants SK's to have the option of buying the seafood, an option the SK government is currently prohibiting them from making. And before the SK government put the restrictions in place their own people were willing to buy 2.5 billion yen a year worth of the seafood.

Koreans will just avoid Japanese products altogether now.

Before their government stopped them from even having the choice of buying the Japanese products at issue, the SK people were willing to buy 2.5 billion yen a year of the Japanese seafood from the 8 prefectures. Why would the SK consumers now decide to avoid Japanese products that they obviously were OK buying before when they had the option?

SpectrumFeb. 23 01:56 pm JST

I agree with the other anti-Japan supporters here

Thank you for your honesty.