MOFA denies knowledge of reported plan to lift Japanese food ban

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/02/02
By: Elaine Hou and Flor Wang

Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Friday it has no knowledge of the government’s reported plan to lift a ban on food imports from five Japanese prefectures and has not been asked to start negotiations with Japan on the issue.

The United Evening News reported Friday that Taiwan’s government is ready to remove the ban under strong pressure from Japan and plans to do so around the Lunar New Year holiday, which begins on Feb. 15.

Taiwan hopes that lifting the ban would improve its chances of joining negotiations on the Comprehensive and Progress Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTTP) led by Japan, according to the report.

MOFA spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said that although his ministry is not responsible for food safety issues, it “will adopt a consistent policy with other government agencies in handling the issue.”    [FULL  STORY]