National News Japanese government lifts U.S. beef embargo

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Japan formally decided July 27 to restart beef imports from the United States, lifting the embargo reinstated in January over fears of mad cow disease.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries agreed to restart beef imports from 34 of 35 meatpacking plants that the U.S. government has certified as suppliers to Japan.

The decision followed a month of inspections through July 24 at the 35 meatpackers by a fact-finding team to check whether they are following export requirements.

"It is very important to gain consumers' understanding and confidence on the restart of imports," said Senior Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi.

Actual U.S. beef shipments to Japan from the 34 plants are expected to start in early August.

During the checks, inspectors found one of the 35 plants had not finished revising its operations manual and decided not to allow the plant from shipping beef to Japan until the manual is revised.

The inspectors decided that another plant also needs stricter monitoring for two months because of a slip-up in its beef shipments between December and January.

Japan, which ended a two-year-old import ban on U.S. beef in December, reinstated it Jan. 20 after a backbone was discovered in a veal shipment at Narita airport

The spinal column is one of the specified risk materials prohibited under export requirements. (Kyodo)

米産牛肉輸入再開正式決定

政府は7月27日、米産牛肉の輸入再開を正式決定した。

Shukan ST: Aug. 4, 2006

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