U.S. Sees No End Yet to Japanese Beef Ban
From Reuters
No end is in sight to Japan’s ban on imports of U.S. beef, the head of a U.S. beef industry delegation said after a two-day visit to Japan aimed at speeding efforts to ease the ban.
Japan was the top foreign market for U.S. beef until it suspended imports after the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in Washington state a year ago. The move halted trade worth roughly $1.4 billion a year.
After months of talks, Tokyo and Washington agreed in October that Japan would resume imports of U.S. beef from cattle aged 20 months or younger, but no agreement has been reached on details such as how to confirm an animal’s age.
