Controversy Over Korean Lunchbox Delivery: "If That's the Case, Why Come to Japan?" vs. "No Forcing Fukushima Products" - Divided Japanese Reactions

Marukawa Tamayo, Minister in Charge of the Olympics, "Food Ingredients from Nuclear Plant Explosion-Affected Areas Are Safe"
Jimin Party's Sato Masahisa, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Department, "An Act That Tramples on the Hearts of Fukushima Residents"
Shin Chiyong, Head of the Athletes' Village, "Athletes' Anxiety Is Not a Pleasant Matter"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] When it was announced that meals using food ingredients from Fukushima (福島) would be provided at the Tokyo Olympic Village, the Japanese government expressed a negative view regarding the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's plan to provide domestically produced lunch boxes to the Korean delegation.

Two restaurants were set up within the Tokyo Olympic Village, and among them, the restaurant called the "Casual Dining Hall" offers meals using ingredients produced in three regions affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake?Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate?as well as from Tokyo. In response, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee decided to rent a hotel near the Olympic Village to prepare lunch boxes for the Korean delegation. Twenty-four staff members, including cooks and nutritionists, were dispatched from Korea, and it is known that the radioactivity of the ingredients is also being measured.

According to local media reports, Tamayo Marukawa, the Minister in charge of the Olympics, said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 20th, "Food ingredients from areas affected by the nuclear power plant accident have their safety secured based on relevant laws and regulations, so I believe there is no need to ban the import of domestic agricultural products on the grounds of radioactive contamination."

On the same day (the 20th), posts criticizing the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's decision appeared one after another on Japanese social networking services (SNS) and online communities.

Comments mocking the provision of Korean lunch boxes included: "If that's the case, they shouldn't have come to Japan. Why didn't they boycott?", "The quality of Korean ingredients is inferior," "If they get food poisoning, will they blame Japan for that too?", and "Korea has hurt Japanese farmers."

Japanese media also emphasized the safety of Fukushima (福島) food ingredients. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee claims that there is a risk of radioactive contamination in food ingredients from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake," but added, "Only agricultural and marine products confirmed to be safe are shipped."

Additionally, Japanese media quoted Masao Uchibori (內堀雅雄), Governor of Fukushima Prefecture, saying, "(Regarding the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's decision) we are very disappointed. Producers are thoroughly implementing safety measures and monitoring."

Earlier, on the 17th, according to a report by the Yomiuri Shimbun, Masahisa Sato, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, criticized the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's meal procurement as "an act that tramples on the feelings of Fukushima residents."

Chefs at the Korea Sports Council's Meal Support Center, which supports the Korean athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics, are packing food into lunch boxes on the 20th. Photo by Yonhap News Special Coverage Team

◆ Some Japanese Netizens Say "Korea Should Not Be Forced to Accept Fukushima Products"

Meanwhile, surprisingly, there are also Japanese netizens who support the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's decision as correct. Some argue, "Just three years ago at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Japan also set up separate dining facilities, so a double standard should not be applied."

They added, "It is not right to unilaterally criticize Korea," and "We need to respect Korea's decision."

Furthermore, comments included: "Currently, many countries around the world have banned imports of Fukushima food products. The US, China, and Taiwan are among them. We must face this harsh reality" (d*******), "Regardless of Korea's issues, whether to eat Fukushima food ingredients or not is a personal and national freedom" (t*************), and "I don't intend to cheer for Korea, but since they are guests in Japan, isn't that understandable?" (h*******).

Netizens defending Korea's position also raised the issue of 'double standards.' They pointed out that Japanese people themselves avoid Fukushima food ingredients, so foreigners should not be held to a different standard.

Netizens reacted with comments such as, "(Although more than 10 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake,) domestic consumption of Fukushima food products has not increased significantly" (a*******), "Radioactive contamination damage is still ongoing, isn't it?" (t******), and "Even we Japanese avoid Fukushima ingredients, and if something were to happen after eating Fukushima ingredients, it would tarnish the Olympic festival of peace" (u*******).

Shin Chi-yong, head of the national team athletes' village, is giving a greeting at the Korea Sports Council's new executive meeting held on the morning of the 11th at the Champion House of the National Team Athletes' Village in Jincheon, Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, on the 16th, Shin Chi-yong, head of the Jincheon National Training Center, appeared on YTN Radio's "Lee Dong-hyung's News Face-off" and TBS Radio's "Cheerful Current Affairs with Lee Seung-won," stating, "About 20 nutritionists and cooks are fully prepared at the catering center set up outside the Olympic Village to support the athletes' condition, but this is only to provide snacks or support when athletes lose their appetite."

He explained, "The catering center prepares and supports snacks, and if there are athletes who cannot eat the Olympic Village food, we plan to prepare and provide lunch boxes."

However, bringing outside food into the Olympic Village is prohibited.

Regarding athletes' anxiety about Fukushima food, Director Shin said, "It's naturally not a very pleasant matter," and added, "When athletes from various countries live together in the Olympic Village, we cannot allow them to bring in and eat separate food."

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