Tokyo and Taipei to hold trade talks in wake of controversial referendum result to maintain import ban on Japanese food
- Voters on the self-ruled island want to maintain a ban on imports of Japanese food from areas affected by fallout from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster
- Japan has vented over the development, with a top government spokesman calling it ‘extremely disappointing’
Taiwan and Japan will hold annual trade talks in Taipei this week, after a weekend referendum result on the self-ruled island that could have a negative impact on bilateral relations.
In one of seven referendums held on Saturday, voters in Taiwan called for maintaining the ban on imports of Japanese food products from five prefectures – Fukushima, Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi and Chiba – that were affected by radioactive fallout from the 2011 nuclear disaster.
Taiwanese Premier William Lai said on Monday that his government will respect the results of the referendums.
“I personally see referendums with a positive attitude. They are a good way to resolve differences,” Lai told reporters, while declining to comment on whether the result will undermine Japan-Taiwan relations.
The island’s representative to Japan, Frank Hsieh, earlier warned that if the referendum was approved, Taiwan would have a “grave price” to pay.
