Japan vows better screening of Chinese food
TOKYO (AFP) — Japan on Monday pledged to step up screening of food imports and sent experts to China to probe a scare over dumplings made in China that left hundreds of Japanese complaining of illness.
Ten people were diagnosed with pesticide poisoning after eating the frozen meat dumplings, prompting major foodmakers to recall food products manufactured at the same factory in China.
A four-person Japanese government team left Monday for China to see the plant in northern Hebei province for themselves following two days of talks in Tokyo with Chinese experts, officials said.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda vowed to strengthen scrutiny of imports.
"This is actually a matter of national security if it is linked to the Japanese people's lives," Fukuda told a parliamentary committee.
"Considering the current situation in Japan in which exports and imports are increasing -- which is essential for Japan in maintaining growth momentum -- it's extremely important to have a system of checking the flow of people and goods at the borders," he said.
The food safety scare comes in the wake of a fall in support for Fukuda's four-month-old government, which is fighting to show its leadership following a series of scandals and showdowns with the opposition.
Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe said the government would keep up the pressure to ensure consumer safety in Japan, which imports the majority of its food.
"What's necessary in the first place is that the Chinese authorities establish a reliable check-up system. We will demand it through diplomatic channels," he said.
"The government may have to order importers to strengthen their check-up systems," Masuzoe said.
China -- Japan's largest trading partner and second biggest supplier of imported food -- has denied Tokyo's allegations that the dumplings themselves contained pesticides but pledged cooperation in the investigation.
The global reputation of China's vital manufacturing industry was seriously damaged last year by a string of overseas safety scandals and product recalls involving the country's export goods.
The team of Chinese experts, headed by food safety official Li Chunfeng, held a second day of talks in Tokyo, with the session continuing hours after the scheduled close.
"The talks took place in a very friendly atmosphere -- which is what the Chinese side asked us to emphasise to you," said Masaki Ichikawa, head of the international affairs division at the Cabinet Office.
"I believe that China's position, as expressed by Mr. Li at the start of the talks, is that this is also an important issue for them," Ichikawa said.
But after the talks, he said that the Chinese side had little to say about the dumplings.
"Most of the time, the Japanese side explained what happened in the case and what we've done, while the Chinese side did not have accurate information," Ichikawa said.
He said Japan gave the Chinese experts a dumpling sample to take home for tests. It was unclear if the meeting would continue for a third day.
The health ministry said the scare prompted 950 people to seek medical treatment for possible intoxication after eating Chinese-made foods. Ten were diagnosed with poisoning including a girl who is still in serious condition.
One family that fell ill reported a small tear on a pack of 20 dumplings, opening up the possibility of deliberate tampering.
However, police said Monday that they spotted residue of pesticide in dumplings whose packaging had no holes and which were made on the same date as those that made the family sick.
The safety scare comes amid efforts between Japan and China to repair often uneasy ties ahead of a rare visit to Tokyo by Chinese President Hu Jintao.
