Japan to Open Monday

[Texan]

JPN lifts US beef ban Monday

U.S. beef imports to resume Monday

12/07/2005

The Asahi Shimbun

Japan

The government Monday will lift the two-year ban on U.S. beef imports despite consumers' doubts that U.S. measures can eliminate the risk of meat tainted by mad cow disease.

Officials said once the decision is finalized Monday, importers will be allowed to start buying U.S. beef, making it available to Japanese consumers around the Christmas holidays.

The Cabinet Office's Food Safety Commission on Thursday is expected to report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare that the risk of mad cow disease in the U.S. beef imports "is extremely low."The government will only allow U.S. beef from cattle 20 months old or younger, as long as safety measures, including the removal of high-risk parts, are observed.

Despite the commission's report, consumers are wary.

According to an Asahi Shimbun survey in late October, 67 percent of consumers said they would not eat U.S. beef if the ban is lifted.

Even the Food Safety Commission has heard the safety concerns directly from the public.

The commission received several thousand responses by Nov. 29 after soliciting public opinions about U.S. beef imports.

Many consumers questioned if the United States and its safety measures can ensure its beef carries no risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, the officials said.

Critics have said Tokyo's move to lift the ban despite such concerns shows that it is simply kowtowing to U.S. pressure.

Tokyo intends to reach an agreement on the beef imports with Washington by Sunday, the officials said. In fact, Japan already informed the United States about the resumption schedule for U.S. beef imports during working-level talks, and has unofficially concluded talks about the conditions for lifting the ban.

The government will explain the contents of the Food Safety Commission's report to the ruling coalition parties on Friday, the officials said.

After the announcement is made Monday, the government will immediately dispatch experts on animal quarantine and food hygiene to conduct safety checks at several meat-processing plants in the United States, the officials said.

The central government also intends to hold meetings at nine locations nationwide by Dec. 16 to explain the decision to resume U.S. beef imports.

(IHT/Asahi: December 7,2005)

asahi.com

 

[ollie']

Merry Christmas to anyone holding feeder calves. I would assume not many will be eligible but it won't take many in an already hot market to drive the price up. Wish I had a pot load or two.

 

[preston39]

I am convinced the 20 month rule is to control grade of beef rather than BSE concerns. The cream of the harvest so to speak!!!

 

[aztumbleweed]

I think I will probably gather a couple of pot loads and send them next week. Was going to anyways the market here has been pretty good now just more incentive.

 

[Texan]

JPN sets N Am beef trade terms

Ministry adopts conditions for lifting of U.S. beef ban

The Japan Times: Dec. 10, 2005


The farm ministry adopted conditions Friday for ending the two-year-old import ban on U.S. and Canadian beef, and the government is expected to end the ban as early as Monday, ministry officials said.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry adopted the terms in question at a meeting on mad cow countermeasures.

The disease is formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

The terms include limiting the types of importable beef to that from cattle aged up to 20 months.

Among other key terms is the requirement that beef producers remove spinal cords and other specific risk materials that could transmit the disease to consumers more easily due to the tendency of the disease's pathogen to accumulate in those parts, they said.

U.S. authorities will quickly start designating beef-processing facilities qualified to process beef for the Japanese market after the government makes the formal decision to terminate the import ban for young beef.

After the designation procedure, the facilities will start processing young Japan-bound beef.

The first shipments from such facilities will likely be delivered to Japan later this month, according to the officials.

Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Jiro Kawasaki told a news conference the government "will stiffen" quarantine procedures for U.S.-grown beef until March 31 as a precaution if imports resume.

On Thursday, the Food Safety Commission submitted a report to the government, saying that "differences in degrees of risk" posed to human health between the stipulated North American beef and domestically produced beef could be kept "very small" if North American producers faithfully lived up to the conditions.

The government has decided that the commission's recommendation will effectively amount to authorizing a resumption of beef imports, the officials said.


japantimes.co.jp