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Published: Nov 02, 2005

Japan                                                                                            

Japan’s Food Safety Commission Approves Prion Panel Report

Japan’s Food Safety Commission’s oversight committee today approved the report issued by its prion subcommittee on Oct. 31. The commission immediately announced it will accept public comments from now until Nov. 29 and conduct “risk communication meetings” from Nov. 14 to 22 in seven cities including Tokyo and Osaka. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has asked USMEF-Tokyo to assist in preparations for public meetings during the comment period. The Japanese government will also hold orientation sessions on the resumption of beef imports from the United States, but these may happen after it announces the lifting of the ban.

The prion subcommittee issued a draft report on Monday, which concluded that the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infection from beef imports from the United States and Canada is “extremely low,” as long as stringent safety measures are followed.

Change In Labeling Requirements For Pork

USMEF members exporting pork to Japan should note a recent change in the export requirements:

“Label claims such as ‘Berkshire’ or ‘Kurobuta’ should not be part of the product name identified on the export certificate. Further, additional certification statements referring to such label claims should not be included on FSIS export certificates.”

For more information, consult the FSIS Export Library of Requirements.

New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar

After almost two years of exclusion, USMEF wants to help U.S. exporters quickly recapture the market when Japan reopens to U.S. beef. The imminent agreement with Japan will likely restrict U.S. beef exports to animals of 20 months or younger, and beef from as few as 15 percent of U.S. cattle will qualify for export to Japan. USMEF will lay out a strategy to help exporters maximize the value of the cattle that are eligible at New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Nov. 29 (1:00 p.m.-5 p.m.) and 30 (9 a.m.-noon).

The seminar includes a demonstration of how to prepare four of the 17 cuts for different Japanese dishes by USMEF-Japan Senior Marketing Director Takemichi Yamashoji, and Ms. Hiromi Akahori, a registered nutritionist and vice president of the Akahori Cooking Institute, will cook the dishes for participants to sample.

Complete details of the seminar are in an online brochure.

Japan                                                                                            

Japan’s Food Safety Commission Approves Prion Panel Report

Japan’s Food Safety Commission’s oversight committee today approved the report issued by its prion subcommittee on Oct. 31. The commission immediately announced it will accept public comments from now until Nov. 29 and conduct “risk communication meetings” from Nov. 14 to 22 in seven cities including Tokyo and Osaka. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has asked USMEF-Tokyo to assist in preparations for public meetings during the comment period. The Japanese government will also hold orientation sessions on the resumption of beef imports from the United States, but these may happen after it announces the lifting of the ban.

The prion subcommittee issued a draft report on Monday, which concluded that the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infection from beef imports from the United States and Canada is “extremely low,” as long as stringent safety measures are followed.

Change In Labeling Requirements For Pork

USMEF members exporting pork to Japan should note a recent change in the export requirements:

“Label claims such as ‘Berkshire’ or ‘Kurobuta’ should not be part of the product name identified on the export certificate. Further, additional certification statements referring to such label claims should not be included on FSIS export certificates.”

For more information, consult the FSIS Export Library of Requirements.

New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar

After almost two years of exclusion, USMEF wants to help U.S. exporters quickly recapture the market when Japan reopens to U.S. beef. The imminent agreement with Japan will likely restrict U.S. beef exports to animals of 20 months or younger, and beef from as few as 15 percent of U.S. cattle will qualify for export to Japan. USMEF will lay out a strategy to help exporters maximize the value of the cattle that are eligible at New Beef Cuts for Japan — A USMEF Sales & Marketing Seminar in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Nov. 29 (1:00 p.m.-5 p.m.) and 30 (9 a.m.-noon).

The seminar includes a demonstration of how to prepare four of the 17 cuts for different Japanese dishes by USMEF-Japan Senior Marketing Director Takemichi Yamashoji, and Ms. Hiromi Akahori, a registered nutritionist and vice president of the Akahori Cooking Institute, will cook the dishes for participants to sample.

Complete details of the seminar are in an online brochure.