Sandhusker
Well-known member
TOKYO (AP) - U.S. Ambassador Thomas Schieffer ate free samples of U.S. beef Thursday at the first major Japanese supermarket to sell the meat after the lifting of a nearly three-year ban over worries about possible health hazards.
Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, buys American beef Thursday at a Tokyo supermarket."I've been waiting all week to come out here," he said before purchasing steaks for his wife and himself at Seiyu, a supermarket chain owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Schieffer visited the Tokyo store with Seiyu Chief Executive Ed Kolodzieski, who also ate some of the beef for sale in the meat section, decorated with tiny American flags.
The return of U.S. beef at Seiyu came before the resumption of sales Saturday at 20 Seiyu stores in the region near Tokyo.
Japan banned U.S. beef imports in December 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.
The ban was eased in December 2005 but tightened again the next month after prohibited spinal bones were found in a veal shipment.
Tokyo eased the restrictions again in July last year but allows meat only from cows aged 20 months or younger. Japan also limits imports to beef that has been through stringent checks at selected U.S. processing plants.
Seiyu Ltd., 51 percent owned by Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, is the first major Japanese retail chain to start selling U.S. beef. Seiyu operates about 400 stores here.
Other major chains have kept U.S. beef off their shelves, choosing instead to sell Japanese and Australian beef.
Aeon Co., Japan's biggest supermarket chain, has no plans to resume selling U.S. beef, said company spokeswoman Kaori Watanabe.
"We are being cautious because we must consider how customers will be able to shop at our stores without worries," she said.
Kolodzieski said the beef at the Seiyu stores is safe because special inspectors were sent to check on its quality.
"Our customers can come and find this terrific product from the United States," Kolodzieski said.
Imported U.S. beef is also far cheaper than Japanese beef. At Seiyu, American beef chuck for steaks cost $2.53 for 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, according to the company. The same weight of domestic sirloin steak sells for about $9.15. There was no identical beef products available to compare prices directly.
Aside from Seiyu, a few other businesses have started selling U.S. beef here, including the five Costco stores run by the Japanese unit of U.S. warehouse retailer Costco Wholesale Corp.
It is also being served in a popular beef bowl dish at fast-food chain Yoshinoya D&C Co.
Schieffer urged Japan to raise the cutoff age of cattle to 30 months. The 30-month level is a global standard observed by most other countries, Schieffer said.
A Japanese government spokesman defended the 20-month limit.
"We have this bilateral agreement," Hiroshi Suzuki said. "The Japanese government is responsible for making sure that the safety and security of the national diet will be maintained."
Not everyone is convinced. Japanese consumers are renowned for being finicky about food quality and safety.
"I would never buy it. There are doubts about its safety," said Kurako Komine, 55, a clerical worker shopping at Seiyu, referring to U.S. beef. "I think it's an insult to Japanese people."
She appeared to reflect widespread sentiments, and hardly any shoppers even came near the U.S. meat section.
Agman, " They want our beef and will scramble for it as soon as it is made available".
Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, buys American beef Thursday at a Tokyo supermarket."I've been waiting all week to come out here," he said before purchasing steaks for his wife and himself at Seiyu, a supermarket chain owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Schieffer visited the Tokyo store with Seiyu Chief Executive Ed Kolodzieski, who also ate some of the beef for sale in the meat section, decorated with tiny American flags.
The return of U.S. beef at Seiyu came before the resumption of sales Saturday at 20 Seiyu stores in the region near Tokyo.
Japan banned U.S. beef imports in December 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease in the United States.
The ban was eased in December 2005 but tightened again the next month after prohibited spinal bones were found in a veal shipment.
Tokyo eased the restrictions again in July last year but allows meat only from cows aged 20 months or younger. Japan also limits imports to beef that has been through stringent checks at selected U.S. processing plants.
Seiyu Ltd., 51 percent owned by Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart, is the first major Japanese retail chain to start selling U.S. beef. Seiyu operates about 400 stores here.
Other major chains have kept U.S. beef off their shelves, choosing instead to sell Japanese and Australian beef.
Aeon Co., Japan's biggest supermarket chain, has no plans to resume selling U.S. beef, said company spokeswoman Kaori Watanabe.
"We are being cautious because we must consider how customers will be able to shop at our stores without worries," she said.
Kolodzieski said the beef at the Seiyu stores is safe because special inspectors were sent to check on its quality.
"Our customers can come and find this terrific product from the United States," Kolodzieski said.
Imported U.S. beef is also far cheaper than Japanese beef. At Seiyu, American beef chuck for steaks cost $2.53 for 100 grams, or 3.5 ounces, according to the company. The same weight of domestic sirloin steak sells for about $9.15. There was no identical beef products available to compare prices directly.
Aside from Seiyu, a few other businesses have started selling U.S. beef here, including the five Costco stores run by the Japanese unit of U.S. warehouse retailer Costco Wholesale Corp.
It is also being served in a popular beef bowl dish at fast-food chain Yoshinoya D&C Co.
Schieffer urged Japan to raise the cutoff age of cattle to 30 months. The 30-month level is a global standard observed by most other countries, Schieffer said.
A Japanese government spokesman defended the 20-month limit.
"We have this bilateral agreement," Hiroshi Suzuki said. "The Japanese government is responsible for making sure that the safety and security of the national diet will be maintained."
Not everyone is convinced. Japanese consumers are renowned for being finicky about food quality and safety.
"I would never buy it. There are doubts about its safety," said Kurako Komine, 55, a clerical worker shopping at Seiyu, referring to U.S. beef. "I think it's an insult to Japanese people."
She appeared to reflect widespread sentiments, and hardly any shoppers even came near the U.S. meat section.
Agman, " They want our beef and will scramble for it as soon as it is made available".