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Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Jiro Kawasaki said in announcing the end of the beef ban that Japan will put a total stop to importing products if it finds the same error as that detected in January, which led Tokyo to reimpose the embargo.
Japan ends U.S. beef import ban, to stop trade if same error occurs
KYODO NEWS
TOKYO, July 27, 2006
Japan
Japan formally decided Thursday to restart beef imports from the United States, lifting the embargo it reinstated in January over fears of mad cow disease.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Jiro Kawasaki said in announcing the end of the beef ban that Japan will put a total stop to importing products if it finds the same error as that detected in January, which led Tokyo to reimpose the embargo.
The health ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries gave the green light to resuming beef imports from all but one of 35 meatpacking plants Washington has certified as suppliers to Japan.
''Some people may say it is too early to lift the import ban, but we took measures step by step, holding repeated talks with U.S. officials and conducting a one-month inspection,'' Kawasaki said.
''We'd like consumers to feel secure,'' he said. ''We will also strengthen our monitoring by opening all incoming beef packets for the time being.''
The minister said the government will try to enhance the food labeling system so consumers know whether U.S. beef is used in processed items.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said it is up to consumers to decide whether they will eat U.S. beef.
''The Japanese government resumed imports after thorough safety confirmation,'' he said. ''Those who want to eat will do so, while I guess some people are still worried about U.S. beef safety.''
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer said in a statement, ''We welcome the opportunity to once again compete in the Japanese marketplace.''
''The U.S. beef industry will continue to work tirelessly to provide a safe, high-quality product that Japanese consumers can trust and enjoy,'' he said.
Noting that Washington has carefully reexamined and reinforced its export verification system, Schieffer said the United States is ''proud that our system is scientifically based and exceeds international standards.''
The decision, however, triggered protests from consumer groups. The Consumers Union of Japan and the Food Safety Citizens' Watch said in a joint statement the government lifted the embargo ''by ignoring the wishes of Japanese nationals for food safety.''
They demanded the government revoke the decision as the United States recently announced its policy of scaling down its nationwide testing program for mad cow disease, and they believe consumers are not being given adequate choices because of lax labeling regulations.
Japan, which ended a two-year-old import ban on U.S. beef in December, reinstated it Jan. 20 after a backbone was discovered in a veal shipment at Narita airport. The spinal column is one of the specified risk materials prohibited under bilaterally agreed export requirements.
''If the 100-percent same violation occurs in the future, I would order a total ban again,'' Kawasaki said.
Referring to U.S. criticism that Japan's shutting its doors to U.S. beef in January was an ''overreaction,'' Kawasaki said, ''The decision is up to our government in charge of risk management and not the business of the United States. I still believe imposing the total ban was correct.''
Asked whether he will eat U.S. beef after the end of the ban, Kawasaki said, ''I have to because of my position.''
Thursday's decision followed a month of inspections at the 35 meatpackers through last Sunday by a fact-finding team of the two ministries to check whether the plants are complying with the export requirements.
U.S. beef imports to Japan from the 34 plants are expected to start in early August, government officials said.
The government reported to the Food Safety Commission, an independent panel of experts, and the U.S. embassy on its decision to terminate the import ban.
It will hold public hearings Friday in Tokyo and Osaka to explain the ban's end to consumers and businesses.
During the checks, the Japanese government found that one of the 35 plants had yet to finish revising its operations manual after going through a corporate merger in June and decided to bar the plant from shipping beef to Japan until it confirms the manual has been revised.
The inspectors concluded that one other plant needs stricter monitoring for two months due to a slip-up in its beef shipments between December and January.
The plant was found to have shipped meat to Japan from animals slaughtered before the facility acquired export certification.
Tokyo and Washington have agreed to add no new U.S. meatpackers to the list of eligible beef exporters for a verification period of six months and to have Japanese inspectors accompany U.S. officials during unannounced future inspections at the plants.
As for some 1,000 tons of U.S. beef shipped between Dec. 16 and Jan. 20 but kept in warehouses as it was prohibited from entering the Japanese market due to the ban, Japan will allow its entry after about three months.
Kawasaki said Japan ''needs to be extremely cautious'' and will check to make sure there are no problems with newly exported beef from the 34 U.S. meatpackers before allowing the entry of the stored products.
Tokyo also plans to open every packet of the 1,000 tons of beef to ensure product safety, he added.
Members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party demanded such strict measures for the stored beef when the government explained its plan to lift the beef ban to the party Wednesday.
==Kyodo
home.kyodo.co.jp
Japan ends U.S. beef import ban, to stop trade if same error occurs
KYODO NEWS
TOKYO, July 27, 2006
Japan
Japan formally decided Thursday to restart beef imports from the United States, lifting the embargo it reinstated in January over fears of mad cow disease.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Jiro Kawasaki said in announcing the end of the beef ban that Japan will put a total stop to importing products if it finds the same error as that detected in January, which led Tokyo to reimpose the embargo.
The health ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries gave the green light to resuming beef imports from all but one of 35 meatpacking plants Washington has certified as suppliers to Japan.
''Some people may say it is too early to lift the import ban, but we took measures step by step, holding repeated talks with U.S. officials and conducting a one-month inspection,'' Kawasaki said.
''We'd like consumers to feel secure,'' he said. ''We will also strengthen our monitoring by opening all incoming beef packets for the time being.''
The minister said the government will try to enhance the food labeling system so consumers know whether U.S. beef is used in processed items.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said it is up to consumers to decide whether they will eat U.S. beef.
''The Japanese government resumed imports after thorough safety confirmation,'' he said. ''Those who want to eat will do so, while I guess some people are still worried about U.S. beef safety.''
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer said in a statement, ''We welcome the opportunity to once again compete in the Japanese marketplace.''
''The U.S. beef industry will continue to work tirelessly to provide a safe, high-quality product that Japanese consumers can trust and enjoy,'' he said.
Noting that Washington has carefully reexamined and reinforced its export verification system, Schieffer said the United States is ''proud that our system is scientifically based and exceeds international standards.''
The decision, however, triggered protests from consumer groups. The Consumers Union of Japan and the Food Safety Citizens' Watch said in a joint statement the government lifted the embargo ''by ignoring the wishes of Japanese nationals for food safety.''
They demanded the government revoke the decision as the United States recently announced its policy of scaling down its nationwide testing program for mad cow disease, and they believe consumers are not being given adequate choices because of lax labeling regulations.
Japan, which ended a two-year-old import ban on U.S. beef in December, reinstated it Jan. 20 after a backbone was discovered in a veal shipment at Narita airport. The spinal column is one of the specified risk materials prohibited under bilaterally agreed export requirements.
''If the 100-percent same violation occurs in the future, I would order a total ban again,'' Kawasaki said.
Referring to U.S. criticism that Japan's shutting its doors to U.S. beef in January was an ''overreaction,'' Kawasaki said, ''The decision is up to our government in charge of risk management and not the business of the United States. I still believe imposing the total ban was correct.''
Asked whether he will eat U.S. beef after the end of the ban, Kawasaki said, ''I have to because of my position.''
Thursday's decision followed a month of inspections at the 35 meatpackers through last Sunday by a fact-finding team of the two ministries to check whether the plants are complying with the export requirements.
U.S. beef imports to Japan from the 34 plants are expected to start in early August, government officials said.
The government reported to the Food Safety Commission, an independent panel of experts, and the U.S. embassy on its decision to terminate the import ban.
It will hold public hearings Friday in Tokyo and Osaka to explain the ban's end to consumers and businesses.
During the checks, the Japanese government found that one of the 35 plants had yet to finish revising its operations manual after going through a corporate merger in June and decided to bar the plant from shipping beef to Japan until it confirms the manual has been revised.
The inspectors concluded that one other plant needs stricter monitoring for two months due to a slip-up in its beef shipments between December and January.
The plant was found to have shipped meat to Japan from animals slaughtered before the facility acquired export certification.
Tokyo and Washington have agreed to add no new U.S. meatpackers to the list of eligible beef exporters for a verification period of six months and to have Japanese inspectors accompany U.S. officials during unannounced future inspections at the plants.
As for some 1,000 tons of U.S. beef shipped between Dec. 16 and Jan. 20 but kept in warehouses as it was prohibited from entering the Japanese market due to the ban, Japan will allow its entry after about three months.
Kawasaki said Japan ''needs to be extremely cautious'' and will check to make sure there are no problems with newly exported beef from the 34 U.S. meatpackers before allowing the entry of the stored products.
Tokyo also plans to open every packet of the 1,000 tons of beef to ensure product safety, he added.
Members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party demanded such strict measures for the stored beef when the government explained its plan to lift the beef ban to the party Wednesday.
==Kyodo
home.kyodo.co.jp
