Shanghai-based Japanese restaurant under fire for ‘anti-radiation’ meals

The set meal was introduced on August 25, a day after Japan started releasing treated water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, reported the Chinese news website What‘s On Weibo.

The meal that was featured on the online platform Dianping included items such as tomatoes, edamame, tofu and spinach.

The topic sparked debate online, with one related hashtag on a Chinese social media platform garnering more than 140 million views as of last Thursday.

“Of course, the next step is to make a quick buck by pushing anti-radiation products,” one popular comment said.

Other netizens called into question the price of the set meal, which was pegged at 180 yuan (US$34), saying that they could easily cook the same items at home.

According to What’s on Weibo, Chinese media outlets, citing legal experts, reported that the menu could run into legal issues, suggesting that making false claims is against the law.

Following the controversy, the restaurant pulled the set meal from its menu, reported the Chinese news website.

It added that in China, many Japanese-style restaurant owners have looked at changing their theme, and name, or explicitly stating that their ingredients are not actually coming from Japan, among other negative consequences of the release of treated radioactive water.

In Singapore, Japanese seafood has not been banned following the release of treated nuclear wastewater, according to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

The agency maintained its position on the safety of food from Japan, saying its surveillance results, including for radiation, have been satisfactory.

SFA added that since 2013, no radioactive contaminant has been detected in food imports from Japan and that food products that fail SFA’s inspections and tests will not be allowed for sale in Singapore.

Gabrielle Chan

The Straits Times

Asia News Network