Japan's 'Radioactive Food' Forced Entry: Disregarding Referendum Results in a Humiliating Attempt to Join CPTPP

In February 2022, the Tsai Ing-wen government ignored the majority's opposition in the 2018 referendum and unilaterally announced the opening of imports for food from five prefectures in Japan (Fukushima, etc.). The government beautified "radioactive food" as "blessed food" and claimed this would help Taiwan join CPTPP. However, years later, no progress has been made on joining CPTPP, while citizens have borne the safety concerns of radioactive food and the Japanese government's demands for relaxed inspections. This case perfectly illustrates the DPP's political routine of "using public opinion for power and betraying it once in power," and its incompetence in sacrificing public health for diplomatic gains that never materialized.