Japan re-opens borders to U.S. beef imports

Japan re-opens borders to U.S. beef imports    Japan announced today that it's officially re-opened its borders to U.S. beef imports after more than two years of rocky negotiations with U.S. Department of Agriculture officials and one false start.
   Japan, like many countries, banned U.S. beef shipments after the USDA confirmed a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow” disease, in a Washington state cow in late December 2003.
   When Japan agreed to resume trade in January of this year, inspectors found a violation to the agreement in a shipment and reset the ban on U.S. beef imports.
   Under its new agreement with the United States, Japan will allow imports of U.S. beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger.
   'This has been a long process as we've confirmed that our system is in full compliance with Japan's import requirements and provided Japan with clear, scientific data confirming that American beef is extremely safe,' said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns in a statement released this morning.
   Johanns urged countries like Japan to establish better procedures for handling non-compliant shipments rather than shutting down the entire trade.
   'The U.S. has such methods of addressing noncompliant shipments from Japan, as well as our other trading partners, and I am hopeful that going forward Japan will take a similar approach,' he said.
   Japan is considered the U.S. beef industry's largest export market by value. In 2003, the United States exported $1.4 billion worth of beef to Japan.
   Johanns said his department has asked the Japanese government to meet this fall to discuss steps to further improve the countries' trading relationship.