(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-11 10:28

Chinese and Japanese journalists, too, visited the plant, where production was suspended on January 30. The plant employs about 800 people.

Also on Wednesday, Japanese Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe said someone could have deliberately tried to contaminate the dumplings.

"Judging from circumstantial evidence, we'd have to think that it's highly likely to be a crime," Masuzoe said in Tokyo.

Chinese police and law enforcers in Japan's Hyogo prefecture, where the 10 people fell ill, have already set up a joint task force to probe the case.

In a joint announcement, Hyogo police said that after finding large amounts of the pesticide methamidophos on and small holes in some of the dumpling packages they suspected someone deliberately tried to poison the product.

Tianyang reiterated it has never used methamidophos and that the dumplings were always packed immediately after coming off the production line.

China Daily - Agencies

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