TOKYO - A Japanese importer on Saturday began recalling Chinese chocolates suspected of being contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine in the latest scare over China's widening toxic milk scandal.

The western Japanese city of Osaka said late Friday a test showed melamine had been detected in "Chocolate Pillows" imported from China by Osaka-based NS International.

While there had been no reports of health problems, the city ordered the importer to recall some 86,000 packages of the chocolates on the grounds that the company may have violated the food sanitation law.

It was the latest case involving melamine in Chinese products sold in Japan.

On Wednesday, another trading company Kanematsu said it had found the toxic chemical usually used to make plastics in one of its desserts imported from China, prompting a recall as a precaution.

China is struggling to limit the damage to its food safety reputation caused by the widespread distribution of milk products contaminated with melamine.

Such products have killed at least four children and sickened 53,000 in China.

Children in Hong Kong and Taiwan have also fallen ill with kidney stones after consuming Chinese dairy products. - AFP/vm