August 6, 2007

Japan bans UK pork imports on FMD outbreak

Japan has banned UK pork imports following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in southern England, Japanese agriculture ministry said Saturday (August 4).

The Agriculture Ministry took the measure in response to a notice from the UK government of the outbreak earlier Saturday, the ministry said in a statement.

Japan imported just five tonnes of pork from the UK, according to government figures, and the impact of the ban is expected to have a limited impact on Japanese consumers.

The highly infectious livestock disease was confirmed Friday on a cattle farm southwest of London.

Japan has already banned beef imports from the UK since the outbreak of mad cow disease in that country.