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Japan confirms N. American beef fulfilled import conditions+
(Japan Economic Newswire)TOKYO, Dec. 26_(Kyodo) _ North American beef met Japan's conditions for import resumption when a Japanese delegation inspected U.S. and Canadian meatpackers earlier this month, the government said Monday.
Japanese officials inspected a total of 15 meat facilities in the two countries from Dec. 13 -- the day after Tokyo lifted the ban imposed on North American beef due to concern about mad cow disease -- through Saturday.
The facilities were in compliance with requirements set by Tokyo, such as the removal of specified risk materials and the age of cows at the time of slaughter, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The ministries said they will send inspectors to the countries again in January.
Japan, which banned the import of North American beef in December 2003, lifted the ban on Dec. 12 on condition that the cows are aged 20 months or younger and spinal cords and other specified risk materials that could transmit mad cow disease are removed.
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