The European Union (EU) decided on Thursday to strengthen control on imports of food and feed from certain regions of Japan for fear of radioactive contamination.

The measures would apply to all feed and food originating in or consigned from 12 prefectures of Japan, where production could be affected by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

"All products from these prefectures have to be tested before leaving Japan and will be subject to random testing in the EU," the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said in a statement.

Under the new rules, each consignment of food or feed from the 12 prefectures has to be accompanied by a declaration, which has to be provided by the Japanese authorities to attest that the product does not contain levels of radionuclides that exceed the EU's maximum permitted levels.

Furthermore, importers are required to notify the national competent authorities two days before the arrival of each consignment of food and feed from Japan.

Feed and food products from the remaining 35 prefectures of Japan would have to be accompanied by a declaration stating the prefecture of origin and would be randomly tested upon arrival in the EU.

The commission said the measures would be reviewed every month.

But currently there was no evidence of risk for the EU consumers by increased radiation levels in food and feed products imported from Japan, it said.

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