Lift mad cow curbs, U.S. farm chief says

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told farm minister Hirotaka Akamatsu on Friday that Tokyo should lift all its mad cow disease-related controls on U.S. beef imports and fully open its beef market, Akamatsu said.

In their 45-minute meeting, Vilsack said Japan should bring its measures on mad cow disease, also known as BSE, in line with international guidelines set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), allowing imports of all U.S. beef and beef products derived from animals of all ages deemed safe under the organization's guidelines, Akamatsu told reporters.

Akamatsu, who began a three-day visit to the United States on Thursday, said he told Vilsack Tokyo's stance on the matter is that the bilateral beef dispute should be addressed "based on scientific evidence."