Japan's delay lifting beef ban angers US
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-28 09:17

US lawmakers reacted angrily Tuesday to Japan's delay on lifting a ban on American beef.

Japan's Food Safety Commission said Monday it needs more time to weigh U.S. safeguards. The Japanese government agreed last fall to lift the ban but still has not done so.

The Senate Agriculture Committee chairman, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, said the stalling "will sorely tempt economic trade action against Japan."

Last week, the Senate voted to keep Kobe beef off U.S. menus if Japan won't lift its ban.

Once the biggest customer of American beef, Japan imported more than $1.5 billion's worth in 2003. But Japan has refused to allow the purchase of U.S. beef since the nation's first case of mad cow disease was confirmed in Washington state almost two years ago.

A second U.S. case was confirmed in June in a Texas-born cow. Japan, in contrast, has found 20 cases of mad cow disease. U.S. regulators proposed last month to partially lift the ban on Japanese beef.

"It is simply inaccurate to call the U.S. beef supply unsafe," said Sen. Pat Roberts. "The numbers do not add up."

Sen. Conrad Burns said, "I'm not a big fan of sanctions, but their time may have come."

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