Fukushima thanks Thais for help after deadly quake and tsunami

Fukushima Prefectural Government arranged a Fukushima products and tourism exchange seminar this week at the official residence of the ambassador of Japan in Bangkok to thank Thailand for its assistance after the disaster and to promote the prefecture’s products and tourism.

Fukushima governor Masao Uchibori expressed his gratitude to Thais and the government for willingly helping people in the prefecture, which recovered quickly from the disaster.

“Five years and two months have passed since the great earthquake in Tohoku region. The people of Fukushima are aware of the Thai people’s kindness and assistance that was sent to us in the time of hardship. In the name of Fukushima citizens, I want to thank Thai people for their support,” Uchibori said.

The earthquake and tsunami in 2011 damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing the reactor to melt down and widespread panic about radiation leakage from the power plant.

But Uchibori assured that agricultural products from the prefecture were safe to consume and many countries had resumed import of products from Fukushima.

“Before our products are sold in the market, they are checked to make sure that no product contains radiation higher than the standard [level], so we can guarantee that the local food is safe for consumption,” he said.

“Thanks to Thailand, as it was the first country that resumed imports from the prefecture. Therefore, the other countries, including the European Union, started to trade with the prefecture again.”

He said that from the food-safety monitoring from April 2014 to January 2015, all samples of rice, fruit and vegetable, and livestock products from Fukushima contained zero radiation. 

But he said some mushroom and fishery products had unsafe radiation levels, and any product that did not meet the food-safety standard would never be distributed.

Japanese Ambassador Shiro Sadoshima revealed that last year the Thai government allowed the import of all products from the prefecture except for wild animals.

The nuclear meltdown caused some areas of the prefecture to be inhabitable, but Uchibori said only 7 per cent of the prefecture was quarantined and the rest was safe.

“We have beautiful scenery and have many tourist destinations to explore,” he said. 

“Last year more than 1,500 Thai tourists visited and stayed in the prefecture, which is the highest number since the disaster. However, we’re still not satisfied with this number.”

The governor said that as a result of nuclear disaster, Fukushima now used clean energy and was a hi-tech hub.

“We would like to invite Thai people to visit Fukushima to enjoy our beautiful prefecture and taste the variety of local food and beverages,” he added.