September 15, 2004

 

 

Japan May Let Regions Set Own Mad Cow Standards
 

Japan's health minister said on Tuesday it may let local governments set their own standards for mad cow tests, a move that could complicate the talks to ease a ban on U.S. beef imports.

 

The Japanese government is considering demands from the United States that it relax a central policy that all cattle must be tested for mad cow disease.

 

But while talks on the issue between the countries are seen moving slowly, Health Minister Chikara Sakaguchi told a news conference that he would not oppose local governments setting their own stricter safety standards.

 

Some local governments, such as Gifu prefecture in central Japan, have said they will make their own decisions about food safety and would continue to conduct tests on all cattle born in the prefecture.

 

"Japan still hasn't decided to end blanket testing, but even if it actually happens, I personally feel it is all right if some want to continue blanket testing," Sakaguchi said.

 

Previously the biggest customer of U.S. beef, Japan halted American beef imports in December after the United States discovered a case of mad cow disease.

 

Japan appeared to move a step closer to easing the nine-month ban last week after it approved a report by its top food safety body that recommended an end to blanket testing of all cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

 

Japan is considering excluding cattle younger than 20 months from tests, given that the youngest case of the disease found in Japan was an animal aged 21 months.

 

But an agreement looks unlikely in the near future as the United States wants the test requirement relaxed even further, perhaps as high as 24 months as some reports have suggested.

 

Not much progress on the issue is expected before Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. President George W. Bush meet next week in New York where the problem is expected to be raised.

 

Japan introduced blanket testing of cattle after it discovered its own case of the disease in September 2001. On Monday, Japan confirmed the 12th case of mad cow disease, which was the third incident this year. The Health Ministry said a 62-month-old Holstein cow in Kumamoto, on the southern main island of Kyushu, had the disease.

 

At a separate news conference on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei said he did not think the discovery of a new domestic case will influence Japan-U.S. talks.

 

"This case was found by testing...and I don't anticipate the discovery having any impact," Kamei said.