August 31, 2007

Japan to examine Canadian meat plants for imports

A delegation of Japanese officials will inspect five Canadian meatpacking plants from September 2 to 13 for possible imports, the Japanese government said Thursday (August 30).

The inspection will be the launching pad of talks between Japan and Canada for Canadian beef exports.

Japan has set a cattle age limit of 20 months for beef imports from Canada and the United States due to mad cow disease fears.

Japan has already started talks with the United States on relaxing earlier stringent conditions of beef exports following an earlier inspection on US meatpacking plants.