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Opposition leaders take stand against end to U.S. beef import ban
Kyodo News
June 13, 2006
Yahoo! News Asia
(Kyodo) _ Leaders of four opposition parties on Tuesday took a firm stand against an imminent decision by the Japanese government to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports over mad cow disease, saying such action would be totally politically-motivated and would sacrifice food safety.
Heads and high-ranking officials of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the People's New Party rapped Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for his "kowtowing" policy to the United States.
They urged the government not to decide on the resumption of beef trade before Koizumi's meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush slated for June 29 in Washington.
DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa told about 700 participants of an urgently-organized meeting to oppose the embargo's termination, saying, "Food safety is a different issue from politics. Prime Minister Koizumi ignores people's concerns so as to please the (U.S.) president and such an attitude is a major problem."
JCP chief Kazuo Shii said, "Politics that would prioritize loyalty to the United States over the lives of Japanese people are wrong."
He also criticized the United States for not convincing Japanese consumers enough about the safety of American beef, saying, "If the exporter cannot follow rules of the importer, it is natural to stop the shipment." ADVERTISEMENT
Japan reinstated its import ban on Jan. 20, only a month after the original two-year-old restriction was lifted, after a backbone was found in a veal shipment at Narita airport. The material was prohibited under bilaterally agreed export requirements to safeguard against mad cow disease.
During a bilateral experts' meeting in May, Tokyo approved a U.S. report detailing recent safety-inspection outcomes at 35 U.S. meatpacking plants certified to export beef to Japan.
The government has been holding risk communication sessions with consumers and other stakeholders across Japan since June 1 to explain Washington's efforts to prevent a recurrence of the January incident.
Sadao Fuchigami, deputy SDP leader, said that it is "totally unforgivable to bring Japanese people's lives as a souvenir" to the United States, linking the beef issue with Koizumi's trip to Washington.
Hisaoki Kamei, secretary general of the People's New Party, said that he believes the United States treats Japan "like a colony" and demanded that the Japanese government stand up for the safety of its people.
Tokyo Medical University Professor Kiyotoshi Kaneko, who was formerly engaged in risk assessment of U.S. beef as a member of the Food Safety Committee, warned that June 2006 could be a turning point in Japan's food safety administration.
Describing the imminent decision as a "linchpin" of the country's future, Kaneko called on the government to "consider consumers' interests as a top priority." He also pointed out that many Japanese believe that the United States "makes light of" them.
Kaneko, who is thought to have a cautious stance on Japan's resumption of U.S. beef imports, stepped down as a committee member at the end of March.
asia.news.yahoo.com
Kyodo News
June 13, 2006
Yahoo! News Asia
(Kyodo) _ Leaders of four opposition parties on Tuesday took a firm stand against an imminent decision by the Japanese government to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports over mad cow disease, saying such action would be totally politically-motivated and would sacrifice food safety.
Heads and high-ranking officials of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the People's New Party rapped Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for his "kowtowing" policy to the United States.
They urged the government not to decide on the resumption of beef trade before Koizumi's meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush slated for June 29 in Washington.
DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa told about 700 participants of an urgently-organized meeting to oppose the embargo's termination, saying, "Food safety is a different issue from politics. Prime Minister Koizumi ignores people's concerns so as to please the (U.S.) president and such an attitude is a major problem."
JCP chief Kazuo Shii said, "Politics that would prioritize loyalty to the United States over the lives of Japanese people are wrong."
He also criticized the United States for not convincing Japanese consumers enough about the safety of American beef, saying, "If the exporter cannot follow rules of the importer, it is natural to stop the shipment." ADVERTISEMENT
Japan reinstated its import ban on Jan. 20, only a month after the original two-year-old restriction was lifted, after a backbone was found in a veal shipment at Narita airport. The material was prohibited under bilaterally agreed export requirements to safeguard against mad cow disease.
During a bilateral experts' meeting in May, Tokyo approved a U.S. report detailing recent safety-inspection outcomes at 35 U.S. meatpacking plants certified to export beef to Japan.
The government has been holding risk communication sessions with consumers and other stakeholders across Japan since June 1 to explain Washington's efforts to prevent a recurrence of the January incident.
Sadao Fuchigami, deputy SDP leader, said that it is "totally unforgivable to bring Japanese people's lives as a souvenir" to the United States, linking the beef issue with Koizumi's trip to Washington.
Hisaoki Kamei, secretary general of the People's New Party, said that he believes the United States treats Japan "like a colony" and demanded that the Japanese government stand up for the safety of its people.
Tokyo Medical University Professor Kiyotoshi Kaneko, who was formerly engaged in risk assessment of U.S. beef as a member of the Food Safety Committee, warned that June 2006 could be a turning point in Japan's food safety administration.
Describing the imminent decision as a "linchpin" of the country's future, Kaneko called on the government to "consider consumers' interests as a top priority." He also pointed out that many Japanese believe that the United States "makes light of" them.
Kaneko, who is thought to have a cautious stance on Japan's resumption of U.S. beef imports, stepped down as a committee member at the end of March.
asia.news.yahoo.com