January 28, 2005

 

 

Japan rejects U.S. call to set date for resuming beef imports

 

Japan's Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshinobu Shimamura on Friday rejected a call from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to set a date for resuming imports of U.S. beef.

 

"We're waiting for the Food Safety Commission's decision" regarding a review of blanket testing of cows for mad cow disease, Shimamura told a news conference.

 

He added that import resumption was not a matter by which a date can be fixed.

 

The minister added it is not wise to rush the resumption of U.S. beef imports, noting Japanese consumers are "strict" regarding food safety.

 

Japan banned U.S. beef imports after the discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States in December 2003.

 

On Thursday, Johanns, who became the agriculture secretary in President George W. Bush's second term, made the request in a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ryozo Kato.

 

"I very specifically requested of the ambassador that a date be set for the resumption of beef trade," Johanns told reporters after the meeting in Washington.

 

Kato was quoted as telling Johanns that the Japanese government "is fully aware of the importance" of the issue, but noted that "necessary domestic procedures," such as an approval by food safety experts, must first be taken.

 

Johanns, who vowed to deal with the issue as his "top priority" during his Senate confirmation hearing, stressed that frustrations are growing mainly among legislators about Japan's ban.

 

Japan was the largest importer of U.S. beef before the ban.

 

The two nations are divided over the contentious issue of how to verify the age of cattle even though they reached a compromise in October to resume imports of U.S. beef as early as spring for animals with birth records showing ages of up to 20 months.

 

Noting that many senators called for pushing Japan to resume beef imports during his confirmation hearing, Johanns said, "I indicated to (Kato) that it turned out to be not so much a confirmation hearing as an airing of frustration about the need to move this issue forward."