JAPAN: Japanese and Chinese officials pledge to launch a full investigation into dumplings made in China that were found to contain pesticide

Record ID: 465003

  • Title: JAPAN: Japanese and Chinese officials pledge to launch a full investigation into dumplings made in China that were found to contain pesticide
  • Date: 6th February 2008
  • Summary: (ASIA) TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 6, 2008) (REUTERS) LI CHUNFENG, VICE DIRECTOR OF CHINESE QUARANTINE AUTHORITIES' FOOD SAFETY BUREAU, ARRIVING AT JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) LI CHUNFENG, VICE DIRECTOR OF CHINESE QUARANTINE AUTHORITIES' FOOD SAFETY BUREAU, SAYING: "I'd like to ask members of the media to trust both countries' officials who are investigating this matter and to report the news objectively." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) LI CHUNFENG, VICE DIRECTOR OF CHINESE QUARANTINE AUTHORITIES' FOOD SAFETY BUREAU, SAYING: "We hope to launch a joint investigation team with the Japanese side and cooperate closely to find out the cause of this incident as soon as possible." NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SHIGERU HOTTA, A SENIOR OFFICIAL OF JAPAN'S CABINET OFFICE, SAYING: "We hope that a group of Japanese investigators that has been dispatched to China will bring back some satisfying results."
  • Embargoed: 21st February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA652SWYNFYZEBZPJA78TPUPCTX
  • Story Text: Japanese and Chinese officials agree to launch a joint investigation into how Chinese-made dumplings contained high levels of pesticide were imported into Japan.
    Tokyo and Beijing agreed Wednesday (February 6) to step up cooperation in investigating how high levels of pesticide in Chinese-made dumplings that were sold in Japanese supermarkets.
    Japanese and Chinese food safety officials met in Tokyo before a senior Chinese official made an emotional plea to the Japanese media at a news conference.

    "I'd like to ask members of the media to trust both countries' officials who are investigating this matter and to report the news objectively," said a tearful Li Chunfeng, vice director of Chinese quarantine authorities' food safety bureau.
    According to Chinese officials, their investigation has found nothing amiss at a Chinese food factory, the source of dumplings believed to have made 10 people sick in Japan.
    However, China's Li on Wednesday pledged China's sincere effort to cooperate with Tokyo in investing the case.

    "We hope to launch a joint investigation team with the Japanese side and cooperate closely to find out the cause of this incident as soon as possible," Li said.
    Meanwhile, Lee's Japanese counterpart expressed hope that a Japanese team sent to Beijing could provide a breakthrough.

    "We hope that a group of Japanese investigators that has been dispatched to China will bring back some satisfying results," said Shigeru Hotta, a senior official at Japan's Cabinet Office.
    Earlier in the day, Japan Tobacco and two other Japanese firms scrapped a merger of their frozen food businesses because of the food scare involving contaminated dumplings imported by Japan Tobacco.
    Japan Tobacco had planned to combine its frozen business with that of Nissin Food Products after buying a third frozen food firm, Katokichi Co, for $1 billion.

    "All the three parties involved have reached the conclusion that calling off our planned merger would be the best option we can take at the moment," said Hiroshi Kimura, chief executive of Japan Tobacco, told reporters.
    Japanese police are investigating the case on suspicion of attempted murder after a five-year-old girl fell critically ill from eating the dumplings, which are known as gyoza in Japan and are normally eaten after dipping in soy sauce. The girl has since recovered.
    Both Tokyo and Beijing have called for close cooperation in the case, which has prompted huge Japanese media coverage and health queries from nearly 4,000 people.
    Japanese experts have said the chemical first detected in the dumplings is used widely in China but not in Japan.
    Chinese officials have travelled to Japan to help with investigations, as both countries seem eager to keep from harming two-way ties ahead of a high-profile visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao this spring, the first such trip in a decade.
    Japan, always sensitive about food security, imports more than one-fifth of its frozen food from China.
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