Stand firm against unreasonable U.S. demand on beef imports -- Akahata editorial, July 12

More than six months have passed since Japan imposed an embargo on U.S. beef imports in response to an outbreak of BSE (mad cow disease) in the United States. The United States, without carrying out BSE-tests on all beef cattle as are done in Japan, is urging Japan to resume U.S. beef imports. Japan must not weaken its measures against BSE under U.S. pressure.

BSE-testing of all cows is a must

Japan has a double check system for anti-BSE measures. First, all beef cattle are tested to determine whether they are BSE positive or not. Then, high risk parts of cattle in which BSE prion is likely to accumulate are removed from all cattle.

The United States insists that all cattle tests are unnecessary because they have no scientific meaning. It maintains that cows younger than 30 months have no risk of infection.

However, in Japan's all-cattle tests, a 21-month old and a 23-month old cow have been confirmed to be BSE positive.

European countries only carry out BSE tests on cattle 30 months and older. In Japan, detection of BSE-infection has been possible by tests on all cattle regardless of age. This shows that testing all cattle repudiates the argument that such testing is meaningless from a scientific point of view. In fact, it can produce scientific results.

Reportedly when Japanese and U.S. experts held a meeting in late June, both sides were in agreement that BSE infection in cows under certain months of age cannot be detected under the present test methods. This means that Japan has made a concession to the U.S. pressure in endorsing the U.S. view that testing all cattle is useless.

The U.S. has not established measures to identify the months of age of cattle, and their argument that "cows under certain months of age" should be excluded from testing is baseless.

Japan in contrast has established a traceability system covering each cow's date of birth, strain, birthplace, and growth records. Since last December, each cow's history including conditions of birth, movements, and slaughter were added to the checking menu. In addition, the carcass, beef parts, and butchering will be become traceable from December.

The United States says that months of age can be easily identified by checking tooth marks. How is it possible to tell the age without knowing the date of birth?

Experts say that there are many unknowns regarding BSE. Japanese experience shows that if more tests are carried out, the importance of BSE tests all cattle will be more recognized.

BSE tests carried out on all cattle between October 2001 and March 2004 cost about 10 billion yen, or only about one yen per 100 grams of beef. Given the aim of securing public health, the cost is not very high.

Try to earn consumers' trust first

Japan's BSE tests are aimed at securing the safety of meat, while in the United States, BSE tests are carried out with the aim of comprehending the epidemic.

The policy of testing all cattle is supported by about 90 percent of the Japanese people, and is increasingly called for in the United States.

The Japanese government should give priority to food safety, refuse to succumb to U.S. pressure, and demand that the United States follow the example of Japan. (end)