Japan                                    ...

Japan                                                                                            

Japan Considers Report On Determining Cattle Age

A final report of a study designed to assuage Japanese fears was presented to the Japanese government yesterday (Jan. 19). The report detailed the results of a 45-day study to evaluate the relationship between physiological and chronological age of beef cattle. The U.S. wishes to convince Japan that it can determine cattle ages effectively enough to prevent beef from cattle over 20 months being exported to Japan. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) does not appear in younger animals. The U.S. and Japan agreed in principle last October to resume beef exports to Japan, but the Beef Export Verification Program required by Japan demands that beef come only from animals aged 20 months and younger.

Yesterday’s meeting did not reach a final conclusion but USMEF-Tokyo reports that the Japanese side accepted for the first time a correlation between maturity assessed by methods suggested by the United States and cattle age. The Japanese media reported the meeting as a step towards the resumption of U.S. beef exports to Japan, and the head of the Japanese team said he would consider the report’s contents positively. Japanese officials requested supplemental statistical information which the USDA side will provide. The Japanese team members will meet alone and then release a final conclusion.

USMEF-Japan played a vital role on a day-to-day basis responding to inquiries from the Japanese government, furnishing detailed technical and industry information to assist them in a better understanding of the U.S. industry and to underscore industry efforts to comply with Japanese requirements for the resumption of trade.

Japan                                                                                            

Japan Considers Report On Determining Cattle Age

A final report of a study designed to assuage Japanese fears was presented to the Japanese government yesterday (Jan. 19). The report detailed the results of a 45-day study to evaluate the relationship between physiological and chronological age of beef cattle. The U.S. wishes to convince Japan that it can determine cattle ages effectively enough to prevent beef from cattle over 20 months being exported to Japan. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) does not appear in younger animals. The U.S. and Japan agreed in principle last October to resume beef exports to Japan, but the Beef Export Verification Program required by Japan demands that beef come only from animals aged 20 months and younger.

Yesterday’s meeting did not reach a final conclusion but USMEF-Tokyo reports that the Japanese side accepted for the first time a correlation between maturity assessed by methods suggested by the United States and cattle age. The Japanese media reported the meeting as a step towards the resumption of U.S. beef exports to Japan, and the head of the Japanese team said he would consider the report’s contents positively. Japanese officials requested supplemental statistical information which the USDA side will provide. The Japanese team members will meet alone and then release a final conclusion.

USMEF-Japan played a vital role on a day-to-day basis responding to inquiries from the Japanese government, furnishing detailed technical and industry information to assist them in a better understanding of the U.S. industry and to underscore industry efforts to comply with Japanese requirements for the resumption of trade.