Japanese Consumer Groups Threaten Boycott of U.S. Beef
10/28/2005 -- The Financial Times if reporting that Japanese consumer groups have threatened to boycott US beef if the government lifted its near two-year ban on imports, claiming Tokyo was being bullied by Washington into resuming trade in potentially dangerous meat.
Consumer groups held a rally in front of Japan's parliament in Tokyo to protest a bill introduced this week by US senators that would impose punitive tariffs on Japanese goods if Japan failed to lift its beef ban. These tariffs would affect Japanese exports worth just over $3bn annually.
Japan introduced the ban in December 2003 after the discovery of a BSE-infected cow, of Canadian origin, on a US farm. The ban has cost American farmers and slaughterhouses nearly $3bn to date.
Yoko Tomiyama, head of the Consumers Union of Japan, told the Kyodo news agency that his organisation was "ready to convene a boycott movement". An opinion poll conducted earlier in the week showed that two-thirds of Japanese consumers would not buy US beef if imports resumed.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, chief cabinet spokesman, said Japan would not allow the threat of punitive tariffs to influence its decision on resumption of imports, which he said would be based on scientific evidence alone.
Consumer organisations say Japan has come under intense political pressure to sign a deal on the resumption of US beef imports before President George W. Bush visits Japan next month.
Source: Financial Times
10/28/2005 -- The Financial Times if reporting that Japanese consumer groups have threatened to boycott US beef if the government lifted its near two-year ban on imports, claiming Tokyo was being bullied by Washington into resuming trade in potentially dangerous meat.
Consumer groups held a rally in front of Japan's parliament in Tokyo to protest a bill introduced this week by US senators that would impose punitive tariffs on Japanese goods if Japan failed to lift its beef ban. These tariffs would affect Japanese exports worth just over $3bn annually.
Japan introduced the ban in December 2003 after the discovery of a BSE-infected cow, of Canadian origin, on a US farm. The ban has cost American farmers and slaughterhouses nearly $3bn to date.
Yoko Tomiyama, head of the Consumers Union of Japan, told the Kyodo news agency that his organisation was "ready to convene a boycott movement". An opinion poll conducted earlier in the week showed that two-thirds of Japanese consumers would not buy US beef if imports resumed.
Hiroyuki Hosoda, chief cabinet spokesman, said Japan would not allow the threat of punitive tariffs to influence its decision on resumption of imports, which he said would be based on scientific evidence alone.
Consumer organisations say Japan has come under intense political pressure to sign a deal on the resumption of US beef imports before President George W. Bush visits Japan next month.
Source: Financial Times