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

U.S. meat facilities repeatedly fail to remove risky parts

The health and farm ministries jointly submitted to the Food Safety Commission on July 27 a report about a prior inspection on U.S. meat processing facilities for beef exports to Japan, which revealed that they have repeatedly failed to remove specific risk material from meat.

The number of violations reached 27 in the last six months. Since the number of violations found last year was 51, it is obvious that no improvement has taken place.

According to noncompliance records (NR) in the report, the U.S. Agriculture Department Food Safety and Inspection Services detected violations concerning BSE in 15 out of 35 meat processing facilities. A large-scale processing facility has conducted no BSE testing despite the fact that there were 57 cows in 2005 and 45 in 2006 which were found to have difficulty in walking.

However, on a request of the U.S. government, the report disclosed neither detail of violation nor facility names.

Takaya Junko of the BSE Citizens Network complained, "Breaches of regulations take place everyday in the United States. The Japanese government's decision to resume U.S. beef imports is making light of food safety, giving in to pressure from U.S. political and business circles."
- Akahata, July 28, 2006