October 15, 2010

Japan, Canada continues beef trade talks

Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Michihiko Kano held talks Thursday (Oct 14) with his Canadian counterpart, Gerry Ritz, on Japan's restriction of Canadian beef imports.

In the meeting, Ritz called on Japan to ease its regulations on beef imports from Canada that were put in place after the outbreak of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

However, Kano reiterated Japan's policy of discussing the beef trade issue from a scientific standpoint.

Japan currently limits Canadian beef imports to meat from cattle aged 20 months or younger.

The Kano-Ritz meeting was held after the two countries had on October 1 working-level talks on the matter for the first time in about three years.

Ritz is visiting Japan to attend the first ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to discuss food security issues in Niigata on Saturday and Sunday (Oct 16-17).