Laws governing preparation of deadly fish to be relaxed
21st May 2012
Tokyo's government has proposed a relaxation of regulations surrounding the licensing and training of chefs who prepare the deadly blowfish.
Tokyo's strict rules governing the highly skilled preparation of the deadly blowfish, or fugu, are due to be relaxed this autumn. A recent drop in the number of deaths has led to the decision to ease laws surrounding the licensing of chefs meaning that restaurants will be able to buy the fish ready prepared off-site.
Fugu is a delicacy that, until now, only been served in Tokyo by chefs with at least two years of training. A single mistake in the preparation of this fish results in the immediate death of the diner by a poison more deadly than cyanide. The new rules mean it would be possible for unlicensed chefs to process and sell fugu, having attended a day class.
In the past twelve years there have been 23 reported deaths after eating fugu, the majority of which are due to amateur home preparation. The delicacy is served only in top-end restaurants and comes with a high price tag, but it is one diners are willing to pay for the reassurance of the highly trained chef. Restaurant fatalities are very rare.
The proposed rules, which would come into effect in October, have been met with uproar by qualified chefs who are part of an elite group authorised by Tokyo's city government to serve the fish. Tokyo's regulations are stricter than those in the rest of the country where, in some cities, restaurants have been able to sell pre-prepared fugu for a long time.
Travellers to Japan who would like to try fugu should ensure that it has been prepared by a licensed chef or risk a game of Russian roulette at the dinner table.
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