TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has made a strong request to Hong Kong officials not to tighten restrictions on food imports from Japan because of its plan to discharge treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant, Tokyo's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Japan, in a Wednesday meeting with Hong Kong government officials, explained its plans to discharge the treated water from the tsunami-wrecked plant and assured the safety of Japanese food, the ministry said.
The meeting was held a day after Hong Kong leader John Lee said the city, Japan's second-largest market for agricultural and fisheries exports, would ban seafood products from a large number of Japanese prefectures if Tokyo goes ahead with its water release plan.
(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
