The government has lifted its ban on imports of U.S. beef, but suspicions about the safety of American beef still linger in Japan. This sentiment is epitomized by a statement by health minister Jiro Kawasaki. He said that if risk materials -- parts of the cow where prions, the infectious agents of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease, can exist -- are found again in imported U.S. beef, all beef shipments from the United States would be halted and he would probably have to resign.

U.S. beef was first banned in December 2003 after a Canadian-born cow in Washington state tested positive for BSE. The ban was lifted in December 2005, but reinstated the following month after spinal material, a risk part, was discovered in a shipment of U.S. veal. The latest Japan-U.S. agreement includes the following conditions: cattle slaughtered for beef export to Japan must be less than 21 months old, BSE-risk parts such as brains and spinal cords must be removed and the beef must come from authorized meat-processing plants. The government says it will inspect all beef imports "for the time being."

Given the public's suspicions, it is important to give consumers accurate information on the origin of beef. At present, all beef products do not carry such information. Regulations vary in accordance to processing, such as whether the beef has been heated or frozen, and whether it is mixed with other meats or vegetables. The government should make it mandatory that all beef products indicate country of origin.