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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Panel comes up with two contradicting views on BSE risk of imported beef

The Cabinet Food Safety Commission's prion panel, assessing the safety of U.S. and Canadian beef, on October 31 reached a conclusion that it is difficult to make a scientific assessment of the risk due to the lack of data. It also stated that if restrictions on imports are observed, the risk of eating beef from young cattle will be as low as that of domestic beef. The assumption here is that only beef from cattle 20 months or younger is allowed into Japan, with the high-risk parts removed.

After four weeks of collecting public opinions on the draft assessment, the panel will submit the report to the government.

However, experts are of the opinion that the panel has been under U.S. pressure to expedite lifting the import ban to reach a favorable conclusion at the cost of safety.

Fukuoka Shin'ichi, a prion disease pathologist and professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, commented, "The panel puts speed before safety. Seventy percent of the public is opposed to deregulating a blanket test on all beef cattle, but the government ignores this. Who can take responsibility if the government resumes beef imports based on selected scientists' assessment?"

The National Campaign for Defense of the People's Food and Health on the same day held an urgent action. Petitioners called on the Food Safety Commission not to recommend lifting the beef import ban without establishing appropriate safety measures.

The National Federation of Farmers Movement on the same day published a statement criticizing the Commission for jumping to a conclusion based on the dubious assumption that conditions for imports are observed. It stated that the government should not use the draft report as a pretext for resuming beef imports. -- Akahata, November 1, 2005