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Anonymous
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Today 7/21/2006 1:16:00 PM
US Beef Shipments To Japan Could Resume Next Week
TOKYO (Nikkei)--U.S. beef imports are poised to resume as early as next week, six months after a ban was reinstated in January, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Saturday morning edition.
The formal decision will be made as soon as Japanese government representatives visiting the U.S. complete their monthlong inspection of American meat-processing plants Friday.
The government will scrutinize the results and then approve shipments from facilities that clear the inspections.
Tokyo reinstated the ban on U.S. beef imports in January after backbone parts, which are thought to carry a high risk of mad cow disease infection, were found in a shipment. The resumption of U.S. beef imports had been predetermined in June on the condition that Japanese inspectors would check the operations of the meat-processing facilities.
Inspectors from the Health and Agriculture ministries left for the U.S. on June 24. Both ministries will compile a report on the inspections and brief leaders of the ruling coalition parties next week. Facilities that pass muster will be allowed to ship beef to Japan, but those with problems will have to wait until they make improvements.
However, it is unclear how much U.S. beef will hit the Japanese market, because consumers are still wary about the safety of the meat.
Source: Dow Jones Newswire
US Beef Shipments To Japan Could Resume Next Week
TOKYO (Nikkei)--U.S. beef imports are poised to resume as early as next week, six months after a ban was reinstated in January, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Saturday morning edition.
The formal decision will be made as soon as Japanese government representatives visiting the U.S. complete their monthlong inspection of American meat-processing plants Friday.
The government will scrutinize the results and then approve shipments from facilities that clear the inspections.
Tokyo reinstated the ban on U.S. beef imports in January after backbone parts, which are thought to carry a high risk of mad cow disease infection, were found in a shipment. The resumption of U.S. beef imports had been predetermined in June on the condition that Japanese inspectors would check the operations of the meat-processing facilities.
Inspectors from the Health and Agriculture ministries left for the U.S. on June 24. Both ministries will compile a report on the inspections and brief leaders of the ruling coalition parties next week. Facilities that pass muster will be allowed to ship beef to Japan, but those with problems will have to wait until they make improvements.
However, it is unclear how much U.S. beef will hit the Japanese market, because consumers are still wary about the safety of the meat.
Source: Dow Jones Newswire