By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer
TOKYO - Kazuhiro Ukiuchi loves his tuna sushi, and he tries to have it once a week — despite the common knowledge in Japan the popular fish can contain toxic mercury.
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Recent reports about high mercury levels in tuna served at ubiquitous sushi restaurants in New York have been met with a collective yawn in Japan, the world's undisputed sushi capital.
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Rules ban many types of seafood if the concentration of mercury exceeds 0.4 parts per million. The limit is 0.3 ppm for mercury's more dangerous derivative, methylmercury.
The restriction was set in the 1970s after outbreaks of industrial mercury poisoning in the southern town of Minamata that sickened thousands and caused hideous birth defects in the 1950s and 60s.
Victims fought for more than a decade before the government and the Chisso Corp., which contaminated fishing grounds, acknowledged the poisoning and provided widespread compensation.
Traces of mercury, which also occurs naturally, are found in nearly all fish and shellfish. The substance builds up in the animals as they feed on other fish and shellfish, so larger predator fish that have lived longer generally have higher levels.
Despite the absence of any restrictions on mercury in tuna, officials periodically check the fish.
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The New York Times, in a story published Thursday, reported that eight of 44 pieces of sushi sampled from local restaurants and stores had mercury concentrations over 1 ppm, a level the paper reported would allow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to take the fish off the market.
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"I would think tuna sushi is much better than fast food," said Ukiuchi. "I'd have to be really unlucky if I die from eating tuna sushi."
