October 5, 2005

Japan may resume US beef imports by year-end
 

Japan could very well lift its 20-month ban on US beef imports by year-end as the country's food-safety panel tentatively agreed the risk of US beef being infected with mad cow disease is extremely low, an agricultural ministry official said.

The Food Safety Commission said that US beef imports should only be resumed on the condition that they are limited to cows younger than 21 months old and are under strict safeguards, such as the removing of high-risk cow parts such as heads, brains, eyes and spines.

Experts have been saying that risk of infection among cows younger than 21 months is negligible. Japan even decided in May to waive mad cow tests for Japanese cattle younger than 21 months, but did not extend that waiver to imported beef.

Before the Dec 2003 ban, Japan was the biggest importer of US beef, purchasing beef worth US$1.7 billion in 2003 itself.

In recent months, the US has also been increasingly frustrated with Japan's refusal to lift the ban; some US officials finally threatened trade sanctions last month after Japan delayed yet again resuming imports of beef from younger cows.