Japan Top Destination For US Beef – NOT!

Japan used to be the top destination for US beef, importing some $1.4 billion worth each year.

Then in 2003 Tokyo banned US beef imports because of a case of mad cow disease in the US.

Two years was enough time for Japan to forget and for Tokyo and US cattlemen to say all is well.

However, no sooner had the ban been lifted when an error by US plant workers and a governmental inspector let veal cuts with backbone out of the US and in to Japan. Japan considers these parts at risk for mad cow disease.

The ban was back.

Since then the ban has been lifted. But the Japanese aren’t buying it – the safety claims of Japan, the US or anyone else. They aren’t buying the beef either.

A spokeswoman for AEON Corp. which operates more than 300 food stores in Japan says they have not received one call requesting US beef.

A spokesman for Ito-Yokada Co. numbering around 180 stores stopped selling US beef as well.

At around $12/lb US beef costs about one tenth that of Japanese beef. But with the perceived risk of disease…the US side can’t give it away.

The Japanese are funny like that. And why not?

What do you think?

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