The government has ordered Japanese food products originating from areas affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster removed from shelves. That's the word from Health Minister Chiang Been-huang on Wednesday. Chiang's comments came after products from these areas of Japan were found in local supermarkets.
Food products from certain Japanese prefectures have been banned in Taiwan since March 30, 2011. But some have been placed on the shelves of local supermarkets. The place of origin labels on these products had been covered over with stickers declaring a different place of origin. The products ordered off shelves all tested negative for radiation contamination.
The health minister came under fire in the legislature after the false labeling came to light. Lawmakers criticized the health ministry for failing to do its job.
In response, The Food and Drug Administration has said it will require all food products imported from Japan to present nuclear-free certificates by the end of June.