July 6, 2005

Business as usual for Japanese beef in wake of US mad cow case

Retail prices of domestically produced beef in Japan rose slightly last week, proving that the recent case of another cow infected with mad cow disease in the US has not had a major impact on Japan's beef prices.

The nationwide average retail price per 100 grams of chilled loin domestic beef in the week through last Friday rose 3 yen from the preceding week to 703 yen, an ordinary price fluctuation.

The retail price of imported beef averaged 369 yen last week, up 1 yen. Japan maintains an import ban on American and Canadian beef over mad cow disease.