Acting Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing met Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Tetsushi Sakamoto and Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong Kenichi Okada on August 16.

Mr Cheuk highlighted Hong Kong's advancing from stability to prosperity and expressed the wish to promote exchanges and co-operation with Japan on various fronts.

Regarding Japan's request for lifting the import ban on its aquatic products, Mr Cheuk responded by expressing concerns over the ongoing discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean in Fukushima, pointing out that the spillover effect was unprecedented.

There is currently no guarantee from the Japanese authorities that their purification and dilution system can operate continuously and effectively in the long term, he noted, adding that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and society are highly concerned about safeguarding food safety and public health in Hong Kong, and must take a prudent approach and exercise strict control.

Mr Cheuk stressed that the Hong Kong SAR Government would closely monitor the development of the water discharge and keep the corresponding measures under review.

Acting Secretary for Environment & Ecology Diane Wong and Under Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Bernard Chan also attended the meeting.