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Report
No.240904 |
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- International - |
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U.S. Accepts Inspection of Beef to be Imported - Talks for Relaxation of Requirements - On April 24, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that the U.S. government agreed to accept the inspection by Japanese experts of meat packing plants in U.S.A that exported domestic beef to Japan. Requirement of blanket testing for beef at the time of import will be lifted for plants whose result of the inspection shows no problem. Japan intends to respond to talks on trade requirements relaxation upon the completion of the verification of the compliance with the current requirements by U.S. Japan requires the deliberation by the Food Safety Commission while U.S. demands early "full lifting" including the elimination of the cattle age requirement, and the gap between the nations still remains. According to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Toshikatsu Matsuoka and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns talked on the phone on April 19 and 20 to reach a broad agreement. Until April 23, the two nations worked out the details at the working level, and the ministry conducted the coordination in Japan. During the telephone conference, Secretary Johanns asked for the prompt relaxation of the trade requirements. This included the elimination of the cattle age requirement to limit the import to beef from cattle under 20 months of age if the general session of OIE in May evaluated the U.S. as "a country where beef can be imported regardless of cattle age." Minister Matsuoka responded that Japan would conduct necessary examinations according to the domestic procedures and based on the latest scientific information (including the evaluation of OIE). At the press conference after a cabinet meeting on April 24, Minister Matsuoka said that U.S. accepted the inspection, which was most important for food safety, before a (Japan-U.S.) summit meeting (on April 27), meaning that Japan stood its ground. With respect to the trade requirements, he indicated the assertion of Japan and U.S. remained as far apart as ever. The inspection will be conducted at plants that have exported beef to Japan, out of 35 authorized plants. Excluded will be eight plants where the inspection was conducted in November and December last year. The inspection will examine whether a process method employed there is appropriate to comply with the trade requirements. The blanket testing has been implemented by importers under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as an immediate measure. All packages containing U.S. beef are opened for testing. The testing is criticized by importers mainly due to the cost they assume and time taken before the distribution in Japan. U.S. has insisted the lifting of the measure. |
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