Eateries worry losses of up to 40 percent under Fukushima water discharge plan

Japan set to release more than a million tonnes of treated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea starting Thursday, leading Hong Kong eateries and importers to worry about their business prospects.

Local seafood importers stated there would not be much effect on the waters of Hong Kong and the South China Sea in the short term, but they are worried the residents will choose to buy less seafood out of fear.

Hong Kong Chamber of Seafood Merchants chairman Lee Choi-wah stated that citizens would avoid eating aquatic products if the treated wastewater's radiation level exceeded the legal limits. 

He added that even if other seafood were proven safe, people would still refrain from purchasing them, which could damage importers' and wholesalers' revenues.

Lee also agreed with the government's banning of seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan and urged authorities to continue to surveillance data of seafood samples along with publicity campaigns to reassure citizens that other aquatic products are safe to consume.

In light of the import curbs, many Japanese restaurants opted to import seafood from Kyushu or other countries, while some also planned to change their menu to focus more on meat dishes.

A business owner of six Japanese restaurants stated that along with switching focus to seafood from other countries and meats, they will also list out the place of origin for their food.

He expected the losses could be up to 40 percent in the short term and the measures was rain on Japanese restaurants' parade as they anticipated businesses to recover after the pandemic.