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Japan could remove age restriction on US beef imports

A research panel with Japan’s food safety has recommended the age restrictions on imports of US beef to the country be lifted.  According to the Japan Times, the recommendations set the stage for the government to remove the restrictions that only allow imports of US beef from cattle under 30 months of age.

The Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry says it will work with the US on the details before officially removing the import restrictions.

Current rules have been in place since 2013. Japan banned all imports of US beef in 2003 following the discovery of BSE in a cow in the US herd.   The country resumed imports in 2005, but only of cattle under 20 months of age.

The OIE, World Organization for Animal Health, has recognized the US as having negligible risk, the lowest risk, for BSE.