February 6, 2006

Meat traders in Japan demand refund for US beef

Japanese meat traders are hoping the US would take back 1,380 tonnes of its beef now stuck in Japanese customs due to the country's renewed ban on beef imports.

The total value of the beef products, imported by 17 Japanese companies, is estimated at about US$170 million. Most of the beef is high-quality chilled beef that will stay sellable for about two months.

Officials of the Japan Meat Traders Association told the US Embassy in Tokyo they want full refunds because the problem was caused by carelessness on the US side, Kyodo News reported.

The Japanese government may provide financial assistance to companies who incurred financial losses from the imports, Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa said at a news conference Friday.