Hong Kong on Wednesday imposed a ban on food imports from five areas of Japan after tests found samples to be contaminated with radiation, dpa reported.
The government said it took the decision after Japanese turnips and spinach showed radiation levels that were 2.6 to 10 times above recognized safety levels.
Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Clement Leung said the ban would begin Thursday and would apply to all vegetable, fruit and dairy imports from five prefectures harvested on and after March 11, the day a quake and tsunami struck north-eastern Japan, damaging a nuclear power plant and leading to releases of radiation.
Poultry, fish and seafood would require safety certificates from Japanese authorities before they would be allowed into Hong Kong.
The five prefectures are Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba.