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The Associated PressThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON Jan 20, 2006 — Just as U.S. officials were talking optimistically of selling more beef in Asia, Japan's prime minister said Friday his country will halt imports of American beef after a recent shipment was found that may contain material considered at risk for mad cow disease.
"This is a pity given that imports had just resumed," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters in Tokyo. "I received the agriculture minister's report with his recommendation that the imports be halted and I think it is a good idea."
The latest announcement came as a jarring setback for the U.S. meat industry and Bush administration officials, happening just as U.S. officials were talking optimistically of selling more beef in Asia despite some lingering import restrictions.
The U.S. Embassy in Toykyo voiced its deep regret that the recent incident had occurred, and said it looked forward to the results of an investigation it expected the Agriculture Department to conduct.
That department had announced Thursday that Singapore officially ended a ban on American beef, following Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, all of which reopened their markets in the past six weeks.
"This decision adds momentum to our goal of resuming normal beef trade throughout the world," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said at the time.
But on Friday, Japan's agriculture minister said he believes U.S. meat producers have already violating the agreement that allowed American beef back into Japan. Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa recommended a total halt to American beef imports if officials confirm a recent U.S meat shipment contained material at risk for the disease, a ministry spokesman said.
The prime minister made his announcement after Nagakawa's finding was reported by an Agriculture ministry spokesman.
Nakagawa, said recently that imported beef from the U.S. may have included material from cattle backbones. Including parts of the cow thought to be at high risk of containing mad cow disease such as spines, brains and bone marrow would violate terms of an agreement that last month partially lifted a 2-year-old ban on American beef.
WASHINGTON Jan 20, 2006 — Just as U.S. officials were talking optimistically of selling more beef in Asia, Japan's prime minister said Friday his country will halt imports of American beef after a recent shipment was found that may contain material considered at risk for mad cow disease.
"This is a pity given that imports had just resumed," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters in Tokyo. "I received the agriculture minister's report with his recommendation that the imports be halted and I think it is a good idea."
The latest announcement came as a jarring setback for the U.S. meat industry and Bush administration officials, happening just as U.S. officials were talking optimistically of selling more beef in Asia despite some lingering import restrictions.
The U.S. Embassy in Toykyo voiced its deep regret that the recent incident had occurred, and said it looked forward to the results of an investigation it expected the Agriculture Department to conduct.
That department had announced Thursday that Singapore officially ended a ban on American beef, following Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, all of which reopened their markets in the past six weeks.
"This decision adds momentum to our goal of resuming normal beef trade throughout the world," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said at the time.
But on Friday, Japan's agriculture minister said he believes U.S. meat producers have already violating the agreement that allowed American beef back into Japan. Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa recommended a total halt to American beef imports if officials confirm a recent U.S meat shipment contained material at risk for the disease, a ministry spokesman said.
The prime minister made his announcement after Nagakawa's finding was reported by an Agriculture ministry spokesman.
Nakagawa, said recently that imported beef from the U.S. may have included material from cattle backbones. Including parts of the cow thought to be at high risk of containing mad cow disease such as spines, brains and bone marrow would violate terms of an agreement that last month partially lifted a 2-year-old ban on American beef.
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