Japan Ag Minister Failed to Check U.S. Meat Plants
Cabinet adopted a policy that the government should inspect U.S. meatpacking plants before Japan would allow them to import.
Compiled by staff
Published: Jan 30, 2006
New reports out Monday say that Japanese Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa failed to follow Japanese cabinet policy of checking U.S. meatpackers before resuming beef imports. Japan's opposition party called for Nakagawa's resignation.
Japan's cabinet adopted policy mandating the Japanese government should inspect plants that would export beef to Japan to see if the plants complied with the agreed upon procedures outlined in the framework. However, Reuters reports it wasn't until after Japan lifted their ban on Dec. 12 that it started checking U.S. meatpackers. Only four days lapsed before the first shipment of U.S. beef arrived in Japan.
Monday Japan's Vice Agriculture Minister Mamoru Ishihara said the ministry is considering sending Japanese inspectors to U.S. plants before each can be added to the approved Beef Export Verification list, as originally planned by the cabinet.
In December, Japan dispatched a team of inspectors to 11 facilities in five states - Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska and California. Ishihara was quoted Thursday saying Japan was considering only importing beef from those facilities.
Ongoing developments continue to suggest it is unlikely Japan will again lift the ban on U.S. beef anytime soon. Last week's delegation led by Agriculture Undersecretary J.B. Penn failed to ease concerns about the reliability of the U.S. food safety system.
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