July 15, 2003

Japan Fears US Lifting Of Canada Beef Ban

Japan fears the possibility that the U.S. may begin lifting its ban on Canadian beef and cattle too soon because of remaining concerns over bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, a Japanese government official said Friday.

The official who attended a press conference held by Japanese agricultural minister Yoshiyuki Kamei also stressed that it is possible there is more than one case of BSE in Canada. Kamei used Japan as an example, saying they first found one case back in 2001 and eventually found several cases later after increase testing, the government aide said.

News reports Friday morning indicate a there would be a meeting Friday afternoon among U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and members of the meat industry, but an industry spokeswoman said may have nothing to do with reopening the U.S. border to Canadian beef, according to an industry spokeswoman.