October 31, 2005

Japan finishes draft report on US beef resumption

The Japanese panel has finished on Oct 31 a draft report on resuming beef imports from the US and Canada by year-end.

The report said that beef and beef offal from US and Canadian cattle aged 20 months and below are at "very low" risk if materials that could transmit mad cow disease are properly removed.

Japan's Food Safety Commission will now put the draft report up for public discussion for four weeks, before working out a final document.

This report is seen as a critical step towards settling the quarrel between Japan and the US, over the resumption of US beef imports into Japan after the latter's May 2003 ban.

Japan's caution in resuming US beef imports has soured relations between the two countries. Some US lawmakers have now asked the government to impose punitive tariffs on Japanese products by Dec 31 if the beef trade cannot be reopened by Dec 15.

This issue is likely to be brought up at the summit meeting next month when US President George W. Bush tours Japan.