Japan should step up efforts to ensure the safety of seafood products, especially those that are imported, the Fisheries Agency said in an annual report released Tuesday.
The white paper on fisheries for fiscal 2002 says the nation needs to boost safety checks because half the seafood products now consumed in Japan are imported.
It also says it is important to ensure the safety of domestic products because many seafood producers share the same waters, meaning any disease found in marine resources can spread easily.
The Fisheries Agency has set rules for the use of medicine and feed for marine resources, based on the government's policy of preventing illnesses and maintaining a healthy marine environment, it says.
Referring to growing consumer concerns over dioxin contamination, the white paper says more than 90 percent of the toxic chemicals ingested by people in Japan comes from food products, and 80 percent of that comes from seafood.
But as long as people eat a balanced diet, the amount of daily dioxin intake should remain within the acceptable level, the paper says.
Touching on recent scandals involving false labeling of food products, the white paper says the agency is reviewing rules on labels and compiling guidelines to inform consumers.