"I am pleased that Japan announced the long-awaited reopening of its market to U.S. beef today. Since the suspension of U.S. beef imports into Japan in late January, the Administration has been working tirelessly toward the resumption of trade for U.S. beef and beef products from animals aged 20 months and younger. We welcome today’s step, and will continue our work with Japan to normalize trade in accordance with science-based international guidelines to fully open U.S. beef exports to Japan."

BACKGROUND

Japan suspended imports of U.S. beef on January 20, 2006, after the discovery of a veal shipment containing materials which, while not posing a food safety risk, were banned under a U.S.-Japan beef export agreement. This agreement, concluded on December 12, 2005, had allowed U.S. beef exports to resume after Japan banned imports for nearly 2 years following the December 2003 discovery of the first case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States. Prior to the ban, exports of U.S. beef and beef products to Japan in 2003 totaled $1.4 billion.

Since January, the Administration has been working non-stop to reopen Japan’s market. Steps were taken in cooperation with Japan to investigate, audit and implement new procedures in close coordination with industry to ensure that current export program requirements are met.