PARIS, May 30 (Kyodo) — The World Organization for Animal Health adopted a resolution Friday lifting cattle age limits for beef exports and imports with regard to mad cow disease, a move likely to strengthen U.S. pressure on Japan to import beef from older cattle.
Under standards set by the global livestock industry watchdog, known by its French acronym OIE, beef exports and imports had been limited to boneless meat from cattle younger than 30 months old.
The resolution, adopted at an OIE general session, lifted the restriction, paving the way for exports and imports of boneless beef from cattle of all ages.
Japan has limited U.S. beef imports to cattle aged 20 months or younger and opposed the lifting of the age limit. With the adoption of the resolution, the United States is expected to strengthen its pressure on Japan to open its market more to U.S. beef.
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Japan currently requires beef from domestically grown cattle aged 21 months and older to be tested for mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The possible relaxation of the mandatory testing standards is an "agenda under consideration" for the Japanese government.
The government is closely watching the response of consumers, and the adoption of the resolution may affect the relaxation issue.