April 5, 2004

Japan To Inspect Overseas Meatpackers

Japan's The Ministry of Agriculture plans to inspect overseas meatpackers and other facilities that handle food exports to Japan as part of its efforts to bolster the nation's defense against contagious livestock diseases.

For starters, the ministry will request that countries exporting high volumes of processed foods to Japan cooperate with its inspections for contagious animal diseases. Once approvals are received, it will dispatch officials to examine meatpackers, chicken and pig farms, and other food-related facilities. The inspections are likely to center around China, Thailand and other Asian countries.

The ministry hopes the investigations will enable it to identify diseases that could find their way into Japan, and is urging domestic farmers and food processing factories to beef up their safeguards against the threat.

The ministry also aims to boost Japan's stockpile of livestock vaccines, including one for bird flu.