TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations asked South Korea on Tuesday to lift its import ban on fishery products from parts of Japan imposed because of leaks of radiation-contaminated water at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture.

Hiroshi Kishi, head of the federation known as JF Zengyoren, visited the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo to file the request, group officials said.

The JF Zengyoren officials quoted South Korean Embassy officials as telling Kishi that the import ban could be lifted if the safety of marine products is confirmed scientifically and objectively.

Kishi told reporters later that he explained the current situation in Japan's fishery industry and his group will continue to seek the lifting of the import ban.

In the letter filed with the embassy, JF Zengyoren asked South Korea to lift the import ban which it said was taken without clear scientific grounds.

South Korea has imposed the import ban on all fisheries products from Fukushima Prefecture and seven surrounding prefectures -- Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba -- since Sept. 9, citing the leakage of contaminated water at the nuclear plant.

In mid-September, the Fisheries Agency sent a senior official to South Korea to provide the latest information on how Japan is maintaining the safety of fisheries products and taking measures to deal with the contaminated water, while South Korean officials said they will review the data and information provided by Japan.

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This news was published on October 01, 2013.

Source: http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131001p2g00m0bu078000c.html

Source of picture: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/japan.html