Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday his country will remove its remaining import restrictions on food from Fukushima Prefecture imposed in the wake of the 2011 nuclear disaster, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry.
Suga welcomed the decision during a 20-minute phone call with Lee, as the leaders also affirmed cooperation in ensuring the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries, the ministry said.
Singapore is among 54 countries and regions that placed restrictions on farm and fishery imports from Japan following the triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi complex. The list has gradually thinned to 15, and many of those remaining have eased measures in steps.
In January 2020, Singapore lifted its ban on food imports from some municipalities in the northeastern Japan prefecture on condition that the shipments include certification of place of origin and checks for radioactive cesium.
Suga and Lee agreed to work together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including by stepping up economic and defense cooperation, the ministry said.
