Japanese fisheries imports in Korea plunge 70 pct.

With trade between Korea and Japan plummeting following the massive earthquake in northeastern Japan, imports of Japanese agro-fisheries products have plummeted in the wake of the radiation scare due to Japan`s nuclear crisis.

News began spreading last weekend that radioactive materials beyond permissible levels were found in agricultural produce from areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The Korea Customs Service said Tuesday that imports of Japanese agro-fisheries products are plunging as large discount stores have suspended their sales given rising fears over radioactive contamination of Japanese foodstuffs.

After the quake hit on March 11, the daily import of Japanese fisheries products from March 12 to Sunday reached 233,046 dollars in average value, plunging nearly 70 percent from the average of 773,795 dollars posted before the earthquake.

The import volume of Alaska pollock and live sea bream fell 30.2 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively, from the time before the quake, while that of Japanese cutlass fish also declined 19.8 percent.

Japanese tofu imports were valued at 27,280 dollars and that of onions for seeds 1,003 dollars March 7-11, but they declined to zero March 14-18.

Discount retailer Lotte Mart said it will not sell unfrozen Alaska pollock, which it had mostly imported from Japan. Home Plus has also halted sales of Alaska pollock and mackerel and will suspend their import until safety is assured.