Extra checks on Japanese food exports to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, imposed after the Fukushima nuclear disaster 12 years ago, were lifted on Tuesday.

On March 11, 2011, a tsunami triggered by a huge earthquake slammed into the Japanese coast, leading to thousands of deaths and a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

In the aftermath, to protect public health, many countries imposed pre-export radioactivity checks on food and agricultural feed from Japan.

The European Union announced it had lifted similar restrictions in July.

Seven countries and regions, including China and South Korea, still have import restrictions on Japanese food.

The move comes as Japan plans to discharge the water used to cool the defunct reactors into the sea after it has been filtered and diluted.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has approved the government’s plan to release massive amounts of treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. 

(dpa/NAN)