Could Radiation Impact Japan's Prized Fish Exports?

Seafood is undoubtedly Japan's most prized export. It's a symbol of their food culture and their society as a whole. Seafood exports in Japan total $1.6 billion yearly and account for 0.3 percent of the nation's exports. According to Slashfood, Japanese officials said they have detected higher levels of radiation in ocean waters near the damaged nuclear power plant. It's yet unclear as to how this will impact Japan's fish exports, but fears are mounting. Seafood consumers inside and outside of Japan are worried.

Bloomberg reported that the detection of cobalt, iodine, and cesium in the sea near the nuclear plant, hurt fish sales in the world's second-biggest seafood market. Shoppers ignored reassurances from The World Health Organization and others and some held off on their purchases.

Tokyo resident Namiko Murata had this to say to Bloomberg:

"I'm really paying attention to food because of the radiation problems," said Murata as she waited in line at a Tokyo supermarket. "We gave up eating fish even though my family likes it very much. Now, for protein, we drink three cups of soy milk a day."

And what about the radiation making its way toward the U.S. from Japan?

Here's the response the FDA gave Slashfood:

Seafood from the United States waters of the North Pacific is safe to eat. In the unlikely scenario that airborne pollutants could affect U.S. fishermen or fish landed in the U.S., FDA will work with NOAA to ensure frequent testing of seafood caught in those areas, and inspection of facilities that process and sell seafood from those areas.

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