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Report
No.230502 |
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- Domestic - |
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Resumption of Beef Imports from the USA and Canada Decided The government Food Safety Commission (FSC), on December 8, submitted its report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to approve resumption of beef imports from the USA and Canada. The draft report on beef imports resumption was placed for public comments in the month of November, and more than 50% of the comments received expressed opposition to the resumption. However, the Food Safety Commission finalized the report along the line drafted, based on the judgment that the difference of risk level between beef produced in Japan and in the United States is extremely small, providing that the condition to remove specified risk materials from cattle 20 months of age or younger are complied with in the United States. Yet, voices still continued loudly in Japan to express uneasy feeling about the safety of U.S. beef, and the FSC's report had to add that "it is necessary to temporarily suspend [U.S. beef] imports," should the condition not be complied with. In further reflection of such anxiety, the Commission attached 3-point demands to its report to the two ministries: i) to take every step to ensure that the export program (standards) are complied with (by the U.S. and Canada); ii) to report to the Commission the result of compliance verification appropriately; iii) adequate explanation be given to the [consuming] public about the result of verification. Based on the report submitted by FSC, MAFF and MHLW, on December 9, presented to the two countries the conditions to be met for resumption of beef including that the beef should be from cattle 20 months of age or younger. In response, the governments of the United States and Canada returned letters of acceptance on December 12. On receiving these, the Japanese government decided on resumption of imports, which will be after two years for U.S. beef and, after two years and seven months for Canadian beef. Meanwhile, MAFF and MHLW send a surveillance team to the two countries on December 13 to see for themselves if indeed the local beef packers or every facility involved in Japanese exports are complying with the conditions of import resumption. Within Japan, explanatory meetings will be held in nine major cities of the country for general consumers to know the reasons for and the measures taken to ensure safety of resumed beef import. The government will also strengthen the labeling requirement to apply to processed beef products in addition to fresh and chilled imports beef for which the country of origin labeling is already in place mandatorily. With regard to the country of origin labeling in the food service industry, the government will urge the industry to step up its voluntary labeling in accordance with the guideline drafted in July 2005. |
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