Originally published February 22 2006
Compromised shipment provokes Japan to reinstate ban on American beef
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In a recent beef shipment from the United States to Japan, a spinal column was found, much to the dismay of Japanese importers, who immediately replaced the ban on American beef that was lifted just last month after a two-year duration.
Their response contrasts sharply with the angry reaction by Japanese consumer groups, which raises doubts in Japan about whether the United States is really committed to complying with Japanese standards and winning back Japanese consumers.
A vertebral column was found in a shipment of U.S. beef that arrived at Narita International Airport on Friday, which led Japan to reimpose its ban on American beef.
This discovery came only a month after Japan lifted its two-year-old import ban on the condition that shipments are limited to cattle aged up to 20 months and brains, spinal cords and other specified risk materials are removed.
The vertebral column that was exported to Japan is not considered a specified risk material under U.S. standards because it was in beef under 30 months, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
But despite the U.S. failure to meet Japan's condition, members of the American beef industry lined up one after another to say that beef safety is not the issue.
"The removal of such materials, however, is a specification of our agreement with Japan, and we are committed to meeting this standard," he said.
American Meat Institute President Patrick Boyle said, "We deeply regret the incident that has prompted Japan to suspend all U.S. beef imports."
U.S. Meat Export Federation President Philip Seng also echoed the view that U.S. beef is safe and Japanese consumers are not a risk as the material "is not a food safety risk."
But as Japan bans the product, Seng said the federation will work to assist the USDA and U.S.-Japanese trade to ensure a swift resolution of the matter and full compliance with Japanese standards.
Johanns admitted the inspection system inspected, saying it was "an unacceptable failure on our part" as a USDA inspector had certified the meat in question.
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