Do this, remember these ten counties! Purchasing Japanese "nuclear contaminated food" that is prohibited from import is explicitly prohibited | country | food

On July 7th, # China Customs Prohibited the Import of Food from Ten Counties including Fukushima, Japan # became a hot search on Weibo.

The person in charge of the Import and Export Food Safety Bureau of the General Administration of Customs stated that in order to prevent the export of Japanese food contaminated with radiation to China and protect the safety of imported food for Chinese consumers. Chinese customs prohibit the import of food from ten prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima, and strictly review and attach certification documents for food, especially seafood, from other regions of Japan. Strengthen supervision, strictly implement 100% inspection, continuously strengthen the detection and monitoring of radioactive substances, ensure the safety of food imported from Japan to China, and strictly prevent the import of products with risks.

Chinese customs will remain highly vigilant, taking absolute responsibility for domestic consumers as the principle, and taking all necessary measures in a timely manner according to the development of the situation to ensure the safety of Chinese consumers on the dining table. So, which of these ten Japanese prefectures are prohibited from importing food?

They are:

Fukushima Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Takagi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, and Chiba Prefecture in Japan.

Since the Fukushima nuclear radiation accident in Japan, in order to ensure the quality and safety of food and agricultural products imported from Japan to China, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has issued three announcements, including food and agricultural products from the aforementioned 10 counties in Japan as prohibited imports.

This time, the General Administration of Customs reiterated these bans, causing heated discussions among netizens.

The concerns of netizens are not unreasonable. Although the country has explicitly banned it, there are still some food products flowing in. According to the Qichacha App, multiple businesses have been fined for selling imported food from Japan's nuclear radiation zone since the beginning of this year.

Among them, Sichuan Chengdu Shenle Town Catering Co., Ltd. was fined 30000 yuan for selling "Daqi liquor" from Fukushima Prefecture in the nuclear radiation zone of Japan; Huiyanghang Department Store Co., Ltd. in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, was fined 10000 yuan by regulatory authorities for selling and purchasing "Fujioka White Peach Beverage" from Nagano Prefecture, Japan, "ORIHIRO Konjac Jelly" from Gunma Prefecture, Japan, and "Bourbon Soy Milk Wah Biscuit" from Niigata Prefecture, Japan; Yiqiling Snack Shop in Xishan District, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province has been confiscated of illegal property for selling Longjiao Sanbai Peach flavored Sandwich Candy and Mint flavored Sandwich Candy originating from Tokyo, Japan; The Memorial Day Cafe in the Economic and Technological Development Zone, located in Qingdao, Shandong Province, was fined 10000 yuan for selling whiskey produced in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

So, what if you buy "nuclear contaminated food" that is prohibited from being imported in these 10 counties of Japan?

What other measures are there for businesses who knowingly violate the ban on importing and selling food?

Let's take a look at the professional interpretation brought by Lawyer Chen Xianmin, a member of the Lawyer Expert Database of the Rule of Law Daily and a partner of Beijing Yingke Law Firm.

1

What should I do if I buy "nuclear contaminated food" that is prohibited from being imported from these 10 counties in Japan?

If you purchase food from these ten counties in Japan, you should keep the purchase and payment vouchers, as well as evidence of the remaining food, and file a complaint with the market supervision and management department or food safety supervision and management department, or directly report to the public security organs.

Consumers can demand compensation from merchants for ten times the price of food. According to the provisions of the Food Safety Law, if a business knowingly operates food that does not meet food safety standards, consumers can not only demand compensation for losses, but also demand compensation of ten times the price from the business operator.

In recent years, there have been some judicial precedents, such as Ms. Sun from Xiamen, Fujian ordering 5 bottles of sake while dining at a Japanese restaurant in Simen District. After drinking 3 bottles, she realized that this sake came from Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Niigata Prefecture is one of the regions where food imports are officially prohibited by the state. The granddaughter sued the court based on this and demanded that the merchant pay ten times the compensation, which was supported by the court.

2

What other measures are there for businesses who knowingly violate the ban on importing and selling food?

If a merchant knowingly imports food from these ten counties in Japan for sale, they not only face administrative penalties but may also bear criminal responsibility. According to Article 143 of the Criminal Law and Article 1 (a) of the Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases Involving Food Safety Hazards, the sale of food that is explicitly prohibited by the state for special needs such as disease prevention and control constitutes the crime of selling food that does not meet safety standards.

Article 143 whoever produces or sells food that does not meet the food safety standards and is sufficient to cause serious food poisoning accidents or other serious food-borne diseases shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention and a fine; if it causes serious harm to human health or other serious circumstances, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years and a fine; if the consequences are particularly serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term not less than seven years or life imprisonment or confiscation of a fine.