Sanctions against Japan?

[Cal]

Thune introduces resolution to push Japan to reopen market

March 17th, 2005 - Washington, D.C. - Senator John Thune introduced legislation today to reopen the Japanese market to U.S. beef imports, after an unsatisfactory meeting last week with the Japanese ambassador.

“The Japanese ambassador could not tell us when the border will reopen – and that’s not acceptable,” Thune said. “Those of us representing cattle country have lost patience with Japan.”

Thune’s resolution directs the U.S. Trade Representative to seek economic sanctions against Japan if it does not reopen its borders to U.S. beef. The resolution has nine Senate co-sponsors and mirrors a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced by Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS).

“Japan owes American ranchers more action and less bureaucratic double-talk,” Thune said. “American consumers and ranchers know American beef is safe. Japan has no scientific reason not to open the border. Japan’s ban amounts an unfair trade barrier and requires a strong U.S. response. This resolution will deliver a strong message to the Japanese government to reopen the border. Japan must understand that there will be consequences to their continued inaction.”

Last Friday, Thune, Moran and a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators met with Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato. Following the meeting, Thune told reporters that the Japanese Ambassador failed to deliver a satisfactory explanation for the closed borders

“It sounded like a bunch of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo,” Thune said. “It is terribly frustrating that there are no timelines. There are no deadlines. There is no indication that there was any certainty about when the border will reopen.”

Japan closed its borders to U.S. beef after the U.S. discovered a single case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), in a Canadian dairy cow in December of 2003. Since that time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has aggressively implemented additional safety checks in the beef system to guarantee the safety of American beef. Nevertheless, Japan has still has no imminent plans to re-open its borders.

Thune’s resolution calls on Japan to meet its trade obligations under an agreement reached on October 23, 2004. If Japan fails to abide by the agreement to reopen its border, then the U.S. Trade Representative should initiate immediate retaliatory economic measures on Japan. Since Japan closed its markets to U.S. beef in December 2003, the U.S. has lost an estimated $2 billion in sales.

[don]

lol.

[Maple Leaf Angus]

BOBL

[Sandhusker]

But...but...I thought they agreed to age testing.

[cowsense]

Do as i say and not as i do

[~SH~]

Threaten sanctions against Japan while supporting legislative action to stop the opening of the Canadian border.

Pathetic!




~SH~

[TimH]

Quote- "Japan owes American ranchers more action and less bureaucratic double-talk,” Thune said. “American consumers and ranchers know American beef is safe. Japan has no scientific reason not to open the border. Japan’s ban amounts an unfair trade barrier and requires a strong U.S. response. This resolution will deliver a strong message to the Japanese government to reopen the border. Japan must understand that there will be consequences to their continued inaction.”

Hey...... Let's try something..........

"USA owes Canadian ranchers more action and less bureaucratic double-talk,” Thune said. “American consumers and ranchers know Canadian beef is safe. USA has no scientific reason not to open the border. USA's ban amounts an unfair trade barrier and requires a strong Canadian response. This resolution will deliver a strong message to the American government to reopen the border. USA must understand that there will be consequences to their continued inaction.”

[cowsense]

Now.. now... Tim ... quit trying to confuse the protectionists with logic: they might call you some dirty names to justify their cause

[Maple Leaf Angus]

Cowsense - would that be something like saying, "Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is already made up!"

[TimH]

cowsense- "Now.. now... Tim ... quit trying to confuse the protectionists with logic: they might call you some dirty names to justify their cause "

Well, if they want to call me dirty names they'll have to take a number and get in line , like everybody else!!!

I gotta wonder if people's lips get sore when they talk out of both sides of their mouth.

[cowsense]

MLA.... was that a quote from Richard Cebull???

[Sandhusker]

It is just so hard for me to accept what is happening now when it was so predicatable and so avoidable. Lets back up a year and reexamine the situation;

* Japan has closed their borders on a BSE scare and we want back in...... Now, if you are looking for an angle to get back in, wouldn't you look real hard at how they were dealing with their own BSE problem? Wouldn't that give you a good idea on what might be acceptable, what is already working, and what you can use for leverage? It would be just like a coach looking at film of his opponent to see what has worked and what hasn't.

*After public uproar, Japan has instituted 100% BSE testing......
You look at testing and see that not only does it instill consumer confidence, but it is their law. It's working as consumers are buying tested beef - you've got an angle.

*You look into testing and it does not make sense scientifically. You then realize you're not competing at a science fair, but are involved in international trade and you make your living by selling beef. You learn the test is reletively inexpensive, and your potential customers are even willing to pay the costs. You realize you've got an angle and nothing to lose.

Soooo, what do you do? Do you pursue testing or do you demand the Japanese adhere to your science, negotiate an alternative test they don't believe you can fulfill satisfactorally, make them change their own health laws so your product will pass, open the door to where you may be obligated in turn to take their beef (after they've had 15 cases of BSE), threaten them with retaliation, all the while ignoring consumer polls that suggest your untested beef won't sell well even if it is allowed in?

Could the USDA of made a bigger mess out if this if they tried? Maybe I'm just a "USDA blamer"