Tokyo Governor Seeks Fast Resolution of Chinese Food Poisoning Issue
Posted on: Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 12:00 CDT
Text of report in English by Japan's largest news agency Kyodo
Tokyo, May 13 Kyodo - Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara on Tuesday called on the Japanese government to take action towards an early settlement of the issue regarding food poisoning cases in Japan involving Chinese-made "gyoza" dumplings.
"There will be big trouble if (poison was mixed in the food) at the athlete's village at the Beijing Olympics," Ishihara said at a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party's Research Commission for the Establishment of a Sports Oriented Nation.
"The government must not leave (the issue) unsolved," he added.
Ishihara said that China's administrative control became "loose" under the administration of Chinese President Hu Jintao.
"It would be horrific if the dumpling incident was carried out by those who bear antigovernment sentiment, and not caused by anti- Japanese elements or those who oppose their company."
The meeting was held to have the Tokyo governor explain challenges that Tokyo faces as it bids to host the Summer Olympics in 2016.
Cases involving contaminated Chinese-made dumplings have recently caused anxiety in Japan over frozen foods and products imported from China after the pesticide-tainted dumplings sickened 10 people in Japan from December to January.
Japanese and Chinese authorities have been investigating the food poisoning incidents but no significant clues on the cause of the poisoning have been found so far, with Chinese authorities denying that methamidophos was used at the factory that produced the dumplings in China.
Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 1323 13 May 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific
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