Japan                                    ...

Japan                                                                                            

No U.S. Beef In Japan’s January Import Statistics

In January, Japan imported 24,271 metric tons (mt) of beef, 45.4 percent less than in January 2003, according to just-released Japanese government statistics. Imports of U.S. beef were zero due to the ban on U.S. beef resulting from the single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington State in December. Imports of Australian beef were only 2.6 percent higher at 21,076 mt. Japan’s December inventory was 81,522 mt, 18.4 percent down from a year earlier.  The imported beef inventory level was 67,357 mt, 11.3 percent down from a year before.

The Tokyo Metropolitan government conducted a consumer survey on BSE and food safety through the internet after the BSE case in the U.S. — 97 percent of the 485 respondents said they were interested in the BSE issue. Although Japan has now had 11 BSE cases in its domestic herd, 32 percent of the respondents said they stopped eating beef after the lone U.S. case and 24 percent said they were now eating domestic beef only.

Japan                                                                                            

No U.S. Beef In Japan’s January Import Statistics

In January, Japan imported 24,271 metric tons (mt) of beef, 45.4 percent less than in January 2003, according to just-released Japanese government statistics. Imports of U.S. beef were zero due to the ban on U.S. beef resulting from the single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Washington State in December. Imports of Australian beef were only 2.6 percent higher at 21,076 mt. Japan’s December inventory was 81,522 mt, 18.4 percent down from a year earlier.  The imported beef inventory level was 67,357 mt, 11.3 percent down from a year before.

The Tokyo Metropolitan government conducted a consumer survey on BSE and food safety through the internet after the BSE case in the U.S. — 97 percent of the 485 respondents said they were interested in the BSE issue. Although Japan has now had 11 BSE cases in its domestic herd, 32 percent of the respondents said they stopped eating beef after the lone U.S. case and 24 percent said they were now eating domestic beef only.