April 2, 2004
Japan's US Beef Imports Down 16% In 2003
Imports of U.S. beef to Japan in fiscal 2003 fell 16% to 201,000 tons because of the discovery of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, there, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports in its Thursday morning edition, citing the Agriculture Ministry.
Beef imports from all countries, such as Australia, declined as well, dropping 2% to 522,000 tons, according to preliminary figures released by the ministry.
U.S. beef imports were banned Dec. 24 following the discovery of a cow infected with BSE, also known as mad cow disease. Until the ban, the volume of imports was higher than year-earlier figures.
Consumption of domestic beef was also affected by concerns over BSE and will likely come to around 400,000 tons at the most - about the same as the previous year.
Consumption of all beef, including imports, will likely be about 900,000 tons. This will be a decline from the previous year's 933,000 tons and will mark the first drop in two years, according to the ministry.