The partial lifting, decided by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, will take effect on Dec. 1. The other nine prefectures are Akita, Miyagi, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba, Iwate, Nagano and Yamagata.
After the March 2011 accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima, the EU required the submission of certification documents on radiation checks for some foods from a total of 13 prefectures, also including Yamanashi, Niigata and Shizuoka.
Following the removal of the restrictions on Fukushima rice, it will become unnecessary in principle to prove that rice grown in other prefectures is not from Fukushima.
For Akita, the restrictions will be eliminated for wild vegetables. The prefecture will thus be fully exempted from the EU restrictions.
News On Japan - Nov 26
Panicked passengers on a Shinkansen bullet train were evacuated at a central Japan station on Friday night, after a plastic bag containing suspicious liquid was found onboard.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Nissan Motor Corporation has announced plans to transition all its vehicles produced in the United Kingdom to electric vehicles (EVs).
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.
News On Japan - Nov 25
The strongest cold snap of the season has brought a dramatic drop in temperatures to northern Japan, where snow began falling Friday morning, with up to 50 cm expected in Hokkaido and Tohoku by Saturday evening, and a chance of blizzards.
News On Japan - Nov 24
It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.