The Alarming Lack of Scientific Reasoning in Eliminating "Made in China" Products
KARAKI Hideaki / Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo
December 19, 2014
Hostile reactions to imported food products from China continue unabated. But is it really fair to say that Chinese products are as dangerous as some weekly magazines claim they are? As a scientist, I am alarmed at how risk information with no scientific basis is being disseminated.
Let's start by reviewing the facts: imported food products that enter Japan do so after passing a number of stringent inspections.
In China, the National Import & Export Commodities Inspection Corporation conducts an export inspection, and products that pass the test are cleared for export to Japan. Once in Japan, they undergo an import inspection by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour. Some of the products are also subjected to sampling inspections, and only those that comply with Japan's Food Sanitation Act are sold on the market. This is followed by further sampling tests undertaken by prefectural governments.
Now, let's take a look at the results. According to the import inspection results for fiscal 2012, the violation rate for food products from China was 0.22%. This is by no means high compared to 0.81% for the United States, 0.71% for Thailand, or 0.45% for South Korea. And when we look at the results of inspections for the same year conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its 23 wards, the violation rates were 0.19% for domestic food products and 0.11% for imports, showing little difference.
Violations for both imported and domestic products included attachment of E. coli or fungi, and residual additives or pesticides that were either non-designated or exceeded the prescribed limits. In any case, they were minor violations and there were no serious instances that could have led to adverse health effects.
These facts indicate that food products made in Japan and products imported from other countries were equivalent in terms of safety. While there may be media reports based on hearsay that portray imported foods as dangerous, the grounds for such hearsay go unreported. Even if questionable products do make it to Japanese shores, they would fail to pass the inspections. There is next to no chance they would enter Japan, unless as private imports.
While much emphasis has been placed on the "frozen dumpling incident" as an example of damage caused by imported Chinese products, we should maintain a level-headed approach. Any violation in a raw material would affect all the products in that lot, and will therefore be detected during sampling inspections. However, when a pesticide is deliberately injected into a few finished products, it may be difficult to detect. Such was the case with the Aqli Foods Malathion contamination incident in Japan. But that was an isolated case, and it isn't logical to conclude that all products are dangerous.
What concerns me most is that some wards in Tokyo have been swayed by a "risk theory" that has no basis in science and have begun eliminating Chinese food products from school lunches. This is an impermissible act that is taking place at the very site of formal education where science is being taught.
In response to this problem, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour has sought to explain the mechanisms that ensure safety and the results of inspections by issuing a "FAQ on surveillance operations on imported foods." However, the Ministry should take this one step further and start countering irrational bashing with scientific facts.
Similarly, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology shouldn't neglect to address the confusion in the field of education and misunderstandings among parents. It should provide guidance on making appropriate decisions based on scientific facts.
I count myself among those who mistrust Chinese intentions where it concerns political or economic issues. Yet, it is my firm belief that we must take a cool-headed approach and consider the possible demerits of demonizing food products from China without heeding the scientific facts and inciting baseless fear among the public. How can this possibly benefit Japan, a country that relies on imports for much of its food? We could also be risking higher prices or food shortages as a consequence. I am pinning my hopes on the government to come forward with a calm response.
Hideaki Karaki is Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and President of the Foundation of Food Safety and Security This article was first published by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper on November 6, 2014.
Let's start by reviewing the facts: imported food products that enter Japan do so after passing a number of stringent inspections.
In China, the National Import & Export Commodities Inspection Corporation conducts an export inspection, and products that pass the test are cleared for export to Japan. Once in Japan, they undergo an import inspection by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour. Some of the products are also subjected to sampling inspections, and only those that comply with Japan's Food Sanitation Act are sold on the market. This is followed by further sampling tests undertaken by prefectural governments.
Now, let's take a look at the results. According to the import inspection results for fiscal 2012, the violation rate for food products from China was 0.22%. This is by no means high compared to 0.81% for the United States, 0.71% for Thailand, or 0.45% for South Korea. And when we look at the results of inspections for the same year conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and its 23 wards, the violation rates were 0.19% for domestic food products and 0.11% for imports, showing little difference.
Violations for both imported and domestic products included attachment of E. coli or fungi, and residual additives or pesticides that were either non-designated or exceeded the prescribed limits. In any case, they were minor violations and there were no serious instances that could have led to adverse health effects.
These facts indicate that food products made in Japan and products imported from other countries were equivalent in terms of safety. While there may be media reports based on hearsay that portray imported foods as dangerous, the grounds for such hearsay go unreported. Even if questionable products do make it to Japanese shores, they would fail to pass the inspections. There is next to no chance they would enter Japan, unless as private imports.
While much emphasis has been placed on the "frozen dumpling incident" as an example of damage caused by imported Chinese products, we should maintain a level-headed approach. Any violation in a raw material would affect all the products in that lot, and will therefore be detected during sampling inspections. However, when a pesticide is deliberately injected into a few finished products, it may be difficult to detect. Such was the case with the Aqli Foods Malathion contamination incident in Japan. But that was an isolated case, and it isn't logical to conclude that all products are dangerous.
What concerns me most is that some wards in Tokyo have been swayed by a "risk theory" that has no basis in science and have begun eliminating Chinese food products from school lunches. This is an impermissible act that is taking place at the very site of formal education where science is being taught.
In response to this problem, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour has sought to explain the mechanisms that ensure safety and the results of inspections by issuing a "FAQ on surveillance operations on imported foods." However, the Ministry should take this one step further and start countering irrational bashing with scientific facts.
Similarly, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology shouldn't neglect to address the confusion in the field of education and misunderstandings among parents. It should provide guidance on making appropriate decisions based on scientific facts.
I count myself among those who mistrust Chinese intentions where it concerns political or economic issues. Yet, it is my firm belief that we must take a cool-headed approach and consider the possible demerits of demonizing food products from China without heeding the scientific facts and inciting baseless fear among the public. How can this possibly benefit Japan, a country that relies on imports for much of its food? We could also be risking higher prices or food shortages as a consequence. I am pinning my hopes on the government to come forward with a calm response.
Hideaki Karaki is Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and President of the Foundation of Food Safety and Security This article was first published by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper on November 6, 2014.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
「中国産」根拠ない排除を憂う
唐木英明 / 東京大学名誉教授
2014年 12月 19日
中国産輸入食品に対する風当たりが依然として強いようだ。だが、一部週刊誌が伝えるように本当に中国産は危ないと言えるだろうか。一科学者として、科学的根拠のないリスク情報が広がるのを憂えている。
まず輸入食品は複数の厳しい検査に合格して、日本国内に入ってくる事実を知っておきたい。
輸入食品は中国側の国家質量監督検験検疫総局の輸出検査を受け、合格したものが日本へ輸出される。日本に入ると厚生労働省の輸入検査を受ける。その一部は抜き取り検査も受け、日本の食品衛生法に適合したものだけが市場に出る。さらに都道府県の抜き取り検査を受ける。
その結果を見てみよう。２０１２年度の輸入検査結果を見ると、中国食品の違反率は０・２２％、これは米国の０・８１％、タイの０・７１％、韓国の０・４５％と比べて、決して高くはない。また、東京都と２３区で実施された１２年度の違反率を見ると、国産食品が０・１９％、輸入食品が０・１１％で差はほとんどない。
輸入、国産を問わず、違反の内容は、大腸菌やカビの付着、指定外あるいは基準値を超える添加物や農薬の残留などだが、違反の程度は軽微で、健康に影響がある重大な違反はなかった。
これらの事実は、国産食品と輸入食品の安全性が同等であることを示す。伝聞に基づいて輸入食品を危険と断ずる報道はあっても、伝聞の根拠は示されていない。たとえ問題のある中国国内の食品が日本に来ていたとしても、検査を合格しない。だから個人輸入以外、国内に入ってくる可能性はほぼない。
中国産輸入食品の被害例として「冷凍ギョーザ事件」が強調されがちだが、冷静に捉えるべきだ。原料に違反があれば、１ロットの製品全部に影響が出るので、抜き取り検査で検出できる。しかし、少数の最終製品に農薬を意図的に注入した場合、検査で見抜けないこともある。これは日本でのアクリフーズ農薬混入事件と同じで、ごく特殊な例から、危険だとの論理は導けない。
憂えるのは、このような科学的根拠が存在しない「危険論」に惑わされて、東京都内の一部の区が学校給食から中国産食品を排除し始めたことだ。科学を教育する学校教育現場にありうべからざる行為である。
この問題の対策として、厚労省は「輸入食品監視業務ＦＡＱ」で安全を守る仕組みと検査結果を解説している。しかし、一歩進んで、科学的事実に基づき、非科学的なバッシングに反論すべきだと思う。
また、文部科学省は教育現場の混乱や保護者の誤解を放置するのではなく、科学的事実に基づき適切な判断を行うよう指導すべきである。
筆者は政治・経済の問題では中国に不信感を持つ一人だ。だからといって科学的事実を無視して中国産輸入食品を「悪」と決めつけ、根拠のない不安をあおることが食料の多くを輸入に頼るわが国にとってどのような利益があるのか、それが価格の高騰や食料の不足を招かないのか、冷静に判断すべきだと考えている。行政の冷静な対応を期待したい。
（筆者は東大名誉教授で「食の安全・安心財団」理事長。本稿は2014年11月６日毎日新聞朝刊に掲載された。）
まず輸入食品は複数の厳しい検査に合格して、日本国内に入ってくる事実を知っておきたい。
輸入食品は中国側の国家質量監督検験検疫総局の輸出検査を受け、合格したものが日本へ輸出される。日本に入ると厚生労働省の輸入検査を受ける。その一部は抜き取り検査も受け、日本の食品衛生法に適合したものだけが市場に出る。さらに都道府県の抜き取り検査を受ける。
その結果を見てみよう。２０１２年度の輸入検査結果を見ると、中国食品の違反率は０・２２％、これは米国の０・８１％、タイの０・７１％、韓国の０・４５％と比べて、決して高くはない。また、東京都と２３区で実施された１２年度の違反率を見ると、国産食品が０・１９％、輸入食品が０・１１％で差はほとんどない。
輸入、国産を問わず、違反の内容は、大腸菌やカビの付着、指定外あるいは基準値を超える添加物や農薬の残留などだが、違反の程度は軽微で、健康に影響がある重大な違反はなかった。
これらの事実は、国産食品と輸入食品の安全性が同等であることを示す。伝聞に基づいて輸入食品を危険と断ずる報道はあっても、伝聞の根拠は示されていない。たとえ問題のある中国国内の食品が日本に来ていたとしても、検査を合格しない。だから個人輸入以外、国内に入ってくる可能性はほぼない。
中国産輸入食品の被害例として「冷凍ギョーザ事件」が強調されがちだが、冷静に捉えるべきだ。原料に違反があれば、１ロットの製品全部に影響が出るので、抜き取り検査で検出できる。しかし、少数の最終製品に農薬を意図的に注入した場合、検査で見抜けないこともある。これは日本でのアクリフーズ農薬混入事件と同じで、ごく特殊な例から、危険だとの論理は導けない。
憂えるのは、このような科学的根拠が存在しない「危険論」に惑わされて、東京都内の一部の区が学校給食から中国産食品を排除し始めたことだ。科学を教育する学校教育現場にありうべからざる行為である。
この問題の対策として、厚労省は「輸入食品監視業務ＦＡＱ」で安全を守る仕組みと検査結果を解説している。しかし、一歩進んで、科学的事実に基づき、非科学的なバッシングに反論すべきだと思う。
また、文部科学省は教育現場の混乱や保護者の誤解を放置するのではなく、科学的事実に基づき適切な判断を行うよう指導すべきである。
筆者は政治・経済の問題では中国に不信感を持つ一人だ。だからといって科学的事実を無視して中国産輸入食品を「悪」と決めつけ、根拠のない不安をあおることが食料の多くを輸入に頼るわが国にとってどのような利益があるのか、それが価格の高騰や食料の不足を招かないのか、冷静に判断すべきだと考えている。行政の冷静な対応を期待したい。
（筆者は東大名誉教授で「食の安全・安心財団」理事長。本稿は2014年11月６日毎日新聞朝刊に掲載された。）
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟