What Changed
- Ongoing prohibition under the Food Safety Order for aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds from 10 Japanese prefectures.
- 121 imported Japanese food samples and 50 local catch samples tested between November 4 and 5, 2026, all met safety standards.
- Cumulative testing of 272,914 Japanese food samples and 58,112 local catch samples since August 24, 2023, yielded no safety standard violations.
Food importers, distributors, aquatic product suppliers, and catering businesses operating in or exporting to Hong Kong SAR remain subject to strict regulatory controls regarding Japanese food imports. In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order. This Order prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds originating from 10 Japanese metropolises and prefectures—Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano, and Saitama—from being imported into or supplied in Hong Kong SAR.
For Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds originating outside these 10 prohibited regions, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department performs comprehensive radiological testing before clearance is granted for market supply.
According to an official government press release issued on November 5, 2026, the CFS conducted radiological testing on 121 imported food samples within the aquatic products, seaweeds, and sea salt category between noon on November 4 and noon on November 5, 2026. None of the samples exceeded radiation safety limits. During the same period, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) tested 50 samples of local catch, all of which passed. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) also reported no anomalies in its enhanced environmental monitoring of local waters.
Cumulatively, from August 24, 2023, to noon on November 5, 2026, the CFS tested 272,914 samples of Japanese food imports (including 169,862 samples of aquatic products, seaweeds, and sea salt), and the AFCD tested 58,112 samples of local catch. All cumulative samples passed radiation safety checks. Importers and food business operators must continue adhering to the prohibition order and mandatory testing requirements for non-prohibited Japanese imports.
Who May Be Affected
Food importers, exporters, logistics providers, seafood distributors, and catering businesses operating in Hong Kong SAR and Japan.
Cross-Border Context
Trade controls strictly regulate food imports from Japan into Hong Kong SAR in response to the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station.
What to check next
- Check the CFS thematic website 'Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan' for updated testing details (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
- Review AFCD local catch radiological test results (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
- Monitor HKO seawater radiation data for local environmental updates (www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Consult the official text and obtain advice appropriate to your circumstances where needed.