January 15, 2004

Japan Keen On Beef Trade Resumption

Canada's agriculture minister Bob Speller said that Japan were keen on resuming beef imports from North America provided the Japanese public can be convinced that Canadian beef is safe.

In a recent meeting with Japanese Agriculture, forestry and Fishers Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei, Speller wasn't able to obtain from his Japanese counterpart any firm indication of when Japan is likely to lift its ban on beef imports from Canada and the U.S., he said.

"Certainly Japan, with 30% of (its beef) consumption affected, would like to see these borders open," Speller elaborated during a teleconference from Tokyo.

In a news release earlier Tuesday, Speller said he had secured a commitment from Kamei to begin bilateral technical discussions between officals "to examine ways to re-establish Canadian beef exports to Japan as soon as possible".

Speller is heading a trade mission to Japan and South Korea to discuss what steps need to be taken for those countries to lift import bans on Canadian beef and cattle. He is scheduled to meet with U.S. and Mexican agriculture secretaries Ann Veneman and Javier Usabiaga later this week. He said he will make "close coordination" with his U.S. and Mexican counterparts over resuming trade in beef and cattle a "priority".

Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the U.S. were among more than 30 countries that closed their borders to Canadian beef  products and live cattle after Canada reported its first indigenous case of mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, on May 20, 2003. The U.S., which reported its own first case of mad cow disease in late December, partially lifed its ban on Canadian beef imports last fall, and has been allowing boneless cuts of beef to cross the border since September 10.

Canada responded to the U.S. mad cow case by closing its border to certain U.S. beef products and live cattle, but continued to allow imports of boneless beef cuts from the U.S. Roughly 50 countries have slapped total bans on imports of U.S. beef and cattle since December.