Japanese and U.S. farm chiefs agreed Thursday to hold further talks aimed at resuming Japanese imports of U.S. beef as soon as possible, beginning with Washington's plan to dispatch a negotiating team to Tokyo next week.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman reached the agreement during telephone talks in the morning, Japanese government officials said.
Details of the planned U.S. delegation were not unveiled, the officials said.