Japan suspends beef imports from U.S. factory

Wednesday 29th October, 11:33 PM JST

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14 Comments

rjd_jr at 07:24 AM JST - 30th October

Usual procedure, no big deal though. Just get rid of the ones in question and comply, and all should be good to go.
NuckinFutz at 07:40 AM JST - 30th October

Japan should spend more time worrying about it's own internal food safety issues. Toss out the boxes containing anything you don't want and enjoy the rest (just don't wash it down with a bottle of Kirin Volvic water!)
outofmydepth at 07:41 AM JST - 30th October

this is rich considering all the mislabeling that has been going on here in japan. just a few things didnt have certificates. they werent mislabeled or anything.
badge123 at 07:49 AM JST - 30th October

Instead of blaming Japan, how about these factories that keep shooting themselves in the foot here. They should know Japan has high standards on beef, they should know they'll lose business if they don't comply, yet some beef packagers still fail to comply.
kjunluc2 at 07:57 AM JST - 30th October

Years ago I worked for Armour just next door to Swift in Ft. Worth, TX. I saw some awfully nasty things there. Occasionally I would have the job of stamping USDA inspected on Hawg jaws. I don't know who inspected them but it wasn't me. Fortunately mad-cow disease hadn't yet been heard of. I used to have to take 2 baths to get the grease off when I came home. A buck 42 an hour. Made it about 4 months; drew my pay one evening; got in my car and headed non-stop to California. Wherever you may be watch what you eat.
notimpressed at 09:16 AM JST - 30th October

The factories knew the deal, if they wanted to export thier stuff, they should have got it right. Anyone watched Fast Food nation? Makes one wary of meat coming from the states.
neverknow2 at 09:27 AM JST - 30th October

The latest case represents the 10th violation

Only the 10th?
ptolemy at 10:57 AM JST - 30th October

I cannot believe after only 10 violations they are banning imports from this company. Nor can I believe they want an investigation of Swift. This company should be able to do anything it wants to. Asking a company to abide contracts. Who ever heard of such a thing. Asking a company to abide by laws, ridiculus.
gurugurugaijin at 11:40 AM JST - 30th October

After 10 violations it is not unusual for such an action.

But um....Japan really has a stick up its posterior end regarding the whole thing. A nation of consumers gorges themselves on the stuff and Japan is deathly afraid of a small portion of that. The word wuss comes to mind. I have been following this since 2003 and it has only gotten better over time. Oh well, at least they are not as, how can I phrase this without the Moderator taking away free speech, uh, "passionate" as South Koreans over the topic.
barfly08 at 05:10 PM JST - 30th October

Once again, perfectly good product goes to waste and the Japanese consumer suffers. This is not a food safety issue but a problem with the paperwork ! Once again it's the Japanese consumers that will suffer from these ridiculous attempts to protect Japans beef market. Without American beef the Japanese are currently paying the highest prices ever and 8% over prices when American beef is available. So who's getting the raw deal here ? Yep, The Japanese !
MPNiea at 03:46 AM JST - 31st October

I wonder if Chinese imports, that have actually killed hundreds of people in the past year, are subjected to the same scrutiny.
barfly08 at 02:42 PM JST - 31st October

Regarding the "10 violations to date" side of this story. I'd suggest the Americans deploy someone to watch each and every box of US beef as it comes off the ships and is loaded onto the docks. This is a billion dollar a year industry and protecting it has been goal number 1 by the Japanese government for years. "Lost" paperwork and "banned beef parts" seems awfully easy when no-one is around to watch ! My understanding is that old American beef has been in freezers here in Japan for years ! Shred some papers, toss in a spinal column o r two and viola... instant ban ! Wise up America, this is war !
roomtemperature at 06:45 PM JST - 31st October

"I'd suggest the Americans deploy someone to watch each and every box of US beef as it comes off the ships and is loaded onto the docks."

Someone? You say someone!!!!

This "perfectly good product" resulted in the closing of more then 70!!! foreign markets to import it from the US.

Perfectly good? Perfectly good product you say? You wise up, barfly!
1eyedjack at 06:57 PM JST - 4th November

Hmmm, seems the debate is over ! "On December 31, 2006, Hematech, a biotechnology company based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, announced that it had used genetic engineering and cloning technology to produce cattle that lacked a necessary gene for prion production - thus theoretically making them immune to BSE."