TOUGHER QUARANTINE INSPECTIONS

[Anchor Lead]

The Japanese government has toughened quarantine inspections on Korean halibut, a type of fish commonly consumed by both Koreans and Japanese. Japan's latest action is interpreted as a retaliation against Korea's import ban on the Fukushima specialty, Japanese halibut.

[Pkg]

Japan has been inspecting 20% of the halibuts imported from Korea. But now the Japanese government has announced that the inspection rate will be doubled to 40%. Japan explained that the tougher inspection is to prevent food poisoning from Korean halibut. Halibut from Korea has been blamed for about 10 food poisoning cases annually, including seven last year.

[Soundbite] YOSHIHIDE SUGA(CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY) : "This measure was taken to protect people's health during summer when seafood-caused food poisoning increases."

The toughened inspection will take effect from next month to March of next year. Inspections on raw sea urchin imported from abroad, including Korea, will also double from the current 10% to 20%. The Japanese government denied that it is retaliating against Korea's import ban on seafood from Japan. But controversy continues to brew as Japan's action comes in the wake of the country's defeat in a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case. Sankei Shimbun reported that it's very unusual to strengthen restrictions on seafood imports from a certain country and that it is in fact, a retaliatory measure. Halibut is a Fukushima specialty that had been exported to Korea in huge amounts before the nuclear reactor accident. However, halibut fishing is now carried out only on a trial basis.