Several countries have decided to stop the import of food products from Japan because of concerns over radiation contamination from the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster.

The list of countries includes the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Canada and Russia. They have all moved to halt milk, vegetables and fruits, sea wheat and seafood imports from areas close to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, saying it was a safety measure, in compliance with international standards.

France has also stated it wanted the EU to announce restrictions of food imports from Japan as well.

The Philippines has banned Japanese chocolate imports.

South Korea has expanded checks on foods, which included dried and processed foods imported from Japan. Thailand has also expanded the tests on foods and asked traders to avoid importing fruits and vegetables from Japan.

Contamination risk is currently restricted to the provinces of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

According to the Japan External Trade Organization, the impact on overall trade is expected to be negligible because the country exported only USD 3.27 B worth of food products in 2009, while the value of its food imports stood at USD 53.5 B.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization said Japan was taking the right actions.

"Food monitoring is being implemented, measurements of radioactivity in food are taking place, and the results are being communicated publicly," the agencies said.

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