US, Japan resume talks on beef import restrictions

The US and Japan agreed Thursday (Apr 8) to start talking again, a small but significant step toward easing Japan's import restrictions on US beef.

 

US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met with his Japanese counterpart, Hirotaka Akamatsu, as part of a four-day trip to promote ties between the two allies. Pushing for new beef rules topped the agenda.

 

"This issue remains a high priority for the US, and the US objective remains a framework that is consistent with science and international standards," he said.

 

Japan banned US beef imports in December 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease was found in the US. Shipments resumed in January 2006, but under tight restrictions.

 

US beef shipped to Japan must come from cattle under 20 months old, which are considered less at risk for the disease. US exporters must also remove spinal columns, brain tissue and other materials from shipments bound for Japan.

 

Japan carries out tests for all cows headed for the slaughterhouse - a measure the US considers excessive. The USDA tests about 1% of cows for the disease.

 

Talks on the issue have been stalled for more than two years. The US in the past had demanded Japan to scrap all age restrictions. But it now appears willing to accept a more gradual easing in order to rekindle trade, the Japanese farm minister told reporters after the meeting.

 

Still, Akamatsu said the two countries are far from agreement.

 

"We agreed to talk, but our fundamental stance is that we will do so based on science and food safety," he said.

 

The renewed effort is part of President Barack Obama's National Export Initiative, which seeks to double US exports in five years to help create two million jobs. Launched in February, the government-wide strategy calls for a more aggressive fight against trade barriers.

 

Japan was the largest consumer of US beef until the late-2003 ban. It now ranks third behind Mexico and Canada, according to the National Cattleman's Beef Association. The US shipped 81,345 tonnes of beef and beef products to Japan last year, about a quarter of 2003 levels, with total revenue down 65%.