Russian media reports say that the head of the country’s veterinary and phytosanitary department has acknowledged the safety of fish from Japan but will maintain a ban as a precaution.
Russia has been restricting imports of Japanese fishery products since October last year in response to the release of treated and diluted water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
On Wednesday, Russia’s state-run Tass news agency and other media outlets quoted Sergei Dankvert of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision as saying that fish from Japan are being monitored and no abnormalities have been found.
Dankvert said the fish were “currently safe,” but Russia still will not import fish from Japan “as a precaution.”
On August 30, the Pacific Oceanological Institute, the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, released findings from its examination of seawaters around Japan.
It said the levels of radioactive substances were much lower than the limit set by Russia’s safety standard.
The report also said the seafood caught around Japan can be eaten without any concerns.