In relation to the accident of Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011, from the perspective of protection of food safety, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has established provisional regulation values for radioactive material in food. Based on the Food Sanitation Act, new regulation values are expected to come into effect as of April 1, 2012.
The new provisional regulation value for rice will be lowered from 500Bq/kg to 100Bq/kg, although the transitional period shall be until September 30, 2012. In accordance to 6) of Article 10 and Article 223 of the Market Administrative Laws, rice that exceeds the newly regulation values (100Bq/kg) for radioactive material will not be considered deliverable on the rice futures market of the Exchange. This amendment shall be in force and effective from the date the new regulation values of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare take effect despite the transitional period.