January 15, 2007

Japan rebuffs US calls for immediate talks on opening beef trade

Japan rebuffed US pressure for immediate talks about lifting lingering restrictions on US beef imports.

Japanese agriculture minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka said despite a "strong request" from the USDA agriculture secretary Mike Johanns, Japan was "not able to immediately begin consultations at this stage".

He emphasised on respecting the existing protocols so as to obtain the understanding of the Japanese people.

He did not state when exactly consultations might begin adding Japan was still conducting "deliberations" on US beef safety. Anything could be said only after conducting an audit of US beef plants and studying the results.

Japan banned US beef imports for nearly two years owing to mad cow fears. Though Tokyo eased an all-encompassing ban in July last year, but lingering trade restrictions have allowed only a trickle of US beef back into the country.

Japan currently allows only boneless meat from cows aged 20 months or younger. The US has been insisting on Japan to revise the limits to 30 months, in line with standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).