Opening Japan's Market to US Beef

In December 2003, Japan banned the import of US beef and beef products following the positive outcome of a Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) test on US cattle. In July of 2006, Japan began to accept imports of US beef and beef products from cattle less than 20 months in age.

In December 2011, Japan conducted a risk assessment to examine the possibility of raising the maximum age of US cattle from which beef and beef products can be imported. In October 2012, based upon the results of the risk assessment, Japan entered into negotiations with the United States to revise import requirements.

 

Starting on February 1, 2013, the United States and Japan agreed upon new terms and conditions regulating the import of US beef and beef products to Japan. The new agreement allows an increase in cattle age to 30 months. It is expected that these changes will result in hundreds of millions of dollars in exports of US beef to Japan in the following years. This agreement has also promoted a working relationship between the US and Japan to review and address any issues that may arise from the new rules and regulations.

To review letters from US and Japan's Ambassadors concerning the new standards or to read more on the subject, please visit our source site: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2013/01/0014.xml