October 15, 2009
Japan urges US to comply with beef trade rules
Japan on Wednesday (Oct 14) urged the US to fully comply with bilateral beef trade rules following the discovery of a banned cow part in a US beef shipment to Japan.
The discovery on Saturday (Oct 10) is the third time that a BSE risk material has been found in a US shipment since Japan resumed US beef imports in July 2006.
Unless the cause of the latest violation of the bilateral rules is determined, overall US beef exports to Japan could be affected, said Japanese farm minister Akamatsu Hirotaka.
US Ambassador to Japan John Roos said the US will take measures to prevent a similar incident, but added that US beef meets global safety standards.
Japan limits imports of US beef to meat taken from cattle aged up to 20 months on condition that the brain, spinal cord and all other risk parts are removed.
