The governor of Japan’s northeastern prefecture of Fukushima, which suffered reputational damage following the March 2011 nuclear accident, is promoting locally grown rice to US consumers.
Uchibori Masao is on a four-day tour in the United States to expand sales channels and eliminate negative impressions of food produced in Fukushima.
On the first leg of his tour in Los Angeles, Uchibori visited a supermarket and handed out cooked rice for people to taste. “Ten-no-tsubu” is an original Fukushima rice brand.
A local resident who tried the rice said some people will have concerns, but will change their minds once they taste it and learn that food and water in Fukushima meet all safety standards.
The governor later agreed to supply Fukushima rice to an American supermarket chain that operates 65 stores across the country, with a target of 100 tons per year.
The United States was among some 50 countries that imposed import curbs on Japanese products following the 2011 nuclear accident.
Japan has promoted the safety of its farm products around the world for years, presenting various scientific data to strengthen its case.
In September 2021, Washington lifted import restrictions on a total of 100 food items from Fukushima and 13 other prefectures, clearing all bans related to concerns about radiation.
Governor Uchibori said full-scale exports of local rice to the US will become a symbol of Fukushima’s recovery from the disaster.
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