Audio: Elections Won’t Derail Japan’s Review of BSE Regulations
Published: Dec 11, 2012
For the past several months, regulatory agencies in Japan have been conducting a formal review of the country’s BSE-related beef import restrictions. While no final decision has been issued, all indications suggest that this process will likely result in favorable amendments to the 20-month cattle age limit currently imposed on imports of U.S. beef and to other BSE-related import regulations.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda recently dissolved the lower house of parliament and called for a general election to be held Dec. 16. While some observers have speculated that this political shakeup could impact Japan’s review of its beef import restrictions, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng does not expect this to be the case. In the attached audio report, Seng states that the proposed changes have strong support in Japan and he expects the review process to continue moving forward.
Seng adds further comments regarding the enhanced opportunities these regulatory changes will create for U.S. beef in Japan. He notes that total beef consumption in Japan still hasn’t fully recovered to its pre-BSE level, and this presents an opportunity for the U.S. beef industry to capitalize on demand that foreign competitors were never able to satisfy.
TRANSCRIPT
Joe Schuele: In this U.S. Meat Export Federation Report, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng discusses the formal review of Japan's BSE-related beef import requirements. All indications suggest that this process will result in favorable amendments to the cattle age limit currently imposed on imports of U.S. beef. Japan's prime minister recently called for a general election to be held Dec. 16. While some observors specualte that this could Japan's review of its beef import restrictions, Seng says this is not the case.
Philip Seng: The election in Japan is not going to have any impact on the U.S. as far as going to 30 months on beef. In watching the election process, the beef issue has never even surfaced in these discussions. The reason is the Japanese public, the trade, the retail and foodservice sectors, many of them have come out endorsing 30 months. There's strong, strong support for it. We have over 50 percent of Japanese consumers that are positive toward U.S. beef, and if you add those that are neutral it's closer to 80 percent. The situation in Japan is encouraging and we are hoping there will be a Japanese team here by the end of the year. So we're in the final stages of all these discussions, as far as moving forward to 30 months.
Joe Schuele: Seng adds that these regulatory changes will create new opportunities for U.S. beef in Japan.
Philip Seng: Well it's an immense opportunity for the U.S. beef industry. We'll probably eclipse 150,000 metric tons wehn we finish 2012. We can conservatively estimate that we'll go up another 20 percent next year. I am reminded that the total market in Japan is down about 250,000 metric tons. This is tonnage that was never made up by our competitors in the market - by Australia or New Zealand or any other country that supplies beef. We see that void being able to be filled, so it's very encouraging when you look at the prospects for the Japanese market.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, this is Joe Schuele.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda recently dissolved the lower house of parliament and called for a general election to be held Dec. 16. While some observers have speculated that this political shakeup could impact Japan’s review of its beef import restrictions, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng does not expect this to be the case. In the attached audio report, Seng states that the proposed changes have strong support in Japan and he expects the review process to continue moving forward.
Seng adds further comments regarding the enhanced opportunities these regulatory changes will create for U.S. beef in Japan. He notes that total beef consumption in Japan still hasn’t fully recovered to its pre-BSE level, and this presents an opportunity for the U.S. beef industry to capitalize on demand that foreign competitors were never able to satisfy.
TRANSCRIPT
Joe Schuele: In this U.S. Meat Export Federation Report, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng discusses the formal review of Japan's BSE-related beef import requirements. All indications suggest that this process will result in favorable amendments to the cattle age limit currently imposed on imports of U.S. beef. Japan's prime minister recently called for a general election to be held Dec. 16. While some observors specualte that this could Japan's review of its beef import restrictions, Seng says this is not the case.
Philip Seng: The election in Japan is not going to have any impact on the U.S. as far as going to 30 months on beef. In watching the election process, the beef issue has never even surfaced in these discussions. The reason is the Japanese public, the trade, the retail and foodservice sectors, many of them have come out endorsing 30 months. There's strong, strong support for it. We have over 50 percent of Japanese consumers that are positive toward U.S. beef, and if you add those that are neutral it's closer to 80 percent. The situation in Japan is encouraging and we are hoping there will be a Japanese team here by the end of the year. So we're in the final stages of all these discussions, as far as moving forward to 30 months.
Joe Schuele: Seng adds that these regulatory changes will create new opportunities for U.S. beef in Japan.
Philip Seng: Well it's an immense opportunity for the U.S. beef industry. We'll probably eclipse 150,000 metric tons wehn we finish 2012. We can conservatively estimate that we'll go up another 20 percent next year. I am reminded that the total market in Japan is down about 250,000 metric tons. This is tonnage that was never made up by our competitors in the market - by Australia or New Zealand or any other country that supplies beef. We see that void being able to be filled, so it's very encouraging when you look at the prospects for the Japanese market.
Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, this is Joe Schuele.