Japan promises to address U.S. beef trade opening

Japan promises to address U.S. beef trade opening    The Japanese government said it would continue its work to resume trade of U.S. beef imports at a meeting Wednesday.
   The country closed its borders to U.S. beef in December 2003 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or “mad cow” disease.
   U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed impatience with the Japanese government during her visit to Tokyo March 19. On Oct. 23, Japan and the United States agreed to a framework to allow resumption of beef imports.
   Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said the beef import issue would be addressed by government’s Food Safety Commission.