Japan "Korean Sports Council's request to avoid Fukushima food is offensive"

The South Korean national football team players participating in the Tokyo Olympics arrived at Narita Airport on the 17th and are undergoing immigration procedures. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The Korean Sports Council's guidance to Korean athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics to avoid consuming food ingredients from Fukushima has sparked displeased reactions within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, with some calling it "nitpicking."

On the 17th, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the Korean Sports Council warned the Korean delegation not to consume food ingredients from Fukushima and other areas when using the athletes' village cafeteria, citing the risk of contamination from radioactive substances.

According to the report, regarding this move by the Korean side, House of Councillors member Masahisa Sato (佐藤正久) stated, "The food ingredients supplied to the athletes' village are carefully selected with a spirit of hospitality," adding, "(Refusing them) is an act that tramples on the feelings of Fukushima residents."

Furthermore, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that within the Liberal Democratic Party, there are reactions such as "It is truly unpleasant that (Korea) is nitpicking to that extent."

Previously, controversy arose when it was revealed that food ingredients from Fukushima were used in the athletes' meals. Among the Tokyo Olympic athletes' village cafeterias, the Japanese cuisine corner uses ingredients sourced from all 47 prefectures across Japan, including those produced in Fukushima Prefecture, where radioactive material was leaked following the nuclear power plant explosion during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Additionally, the origin of ingredients is not indicated on each dish.

Due to this, the Korean Sports Council requested athletes to refrain from using the Japanese cuisine corner, and rented the Henna Hotel near the athletes' village entirely to establish a Korean athletes' meal support center.

A Sports Council official also stated on the 16th, "We have prepared a radiation cesium detector and plan to thoroughly check the amount of concentrated radiation in the ingredients during the cooking process."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.