Taiwan is reportedly poised to lift its regulations on food products imported from Japan. Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, Taiwan has enforced stringent restrictions on food imports from certain regions in Japan. Now, after years of diplomatic negotiation, improvements in food safety standards, and rigorous safety testing, Taiwan is preparing to reverse these restrictions, marking a significant development in bilateral trade between the two nations.

Food safety is a highly important issue in Japan. The public and the government are very cautious, especially after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The restrictions placed by Taiwan, one of its closest and major trading partners, affected a large number of Japanese food producers, primarily in the agricultural sector. Therefore, the lifting of these restrictions is expected to generate a considerable economic boost, particularly for those regions initially impacted by the disaster.

In comparison to the EU or US, both of which have lifted similar restrictions over the past few years, Taiwan has remained reluctant until now. Most notably, the EU lifted its restrictions on imports from Fukushima in late 2020, closely monitoring Japan's food safety standards and regulations.