Japan suspends beef imports from U.S. factory

TOKYO, Oct. 29 Kyodo - The Japanese government said Wednesday it has suspended beef imports from a Swift & Co. factory in the United States for its failure to comply with a Japan-U.S. beef trade accord aimed at safeguarding against mad cow disease.

An inspection at the port of Osaka on Monday night revealed nine boxes, shipped
from the U.S. meatpacker's factory in Nebraska, containing bovine thymus glands
lacking U.S. government certification, which is required for U.S. beef
shipments to Japan, the government said.
Bovine thymus glands can be exported to Japan as they are not listed among
''specified risk materials'' deemed closely linked to the disease.
In the absence of U.S. government certification, however, it is not known if
the thymus glands originated from cattle 20 months old or younger, as required
by Japan for U.S. beef imports, the government said.
The government said it has halted import procedures for meat shipped from the
Swift plant and has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to submit a report
after conducting a thorough investigation.
The latest case represents the 10th violation of the bilateral accord on beef
trade since Japan lifted its ban on U.S. beef imports in 2006.