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04-08R April 24, 2004

Joint Press Release

*The Third Japan-U.S. Consultation on the BSE issue*

April 24, 2004

(Translated from Japanese by the Government of Japan)

1.  On April 24, 2004, the Government of Japan (GOJ) and the United
    States Government (USG) held a consultation in Tokyo on the
    resumption of beef trade between Japan and the U.S. Representatives
    from the two Governments discussed: (1) the overall framework
    towards resumption of beef trade between Japan and the United
    States., and (2) specific technical items.

2.  Participants in the consultation were:

> from GOJ: Kenichiro Sasae, Director-General, Economic Affairs Bureau,
> Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Akira Endo, Director-General, Department
> of Food Safety, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; Hiroshi
> Nakagawa, Director-General of the Food Safety and Consumer Affairs
> Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Junshi
> Umetsu, Director-General, Secretariat, Food Safety Commission; and
> other officials,
>
> from USG: J. B. Penn, Under Secretary, United States Department of
> Agriculture (USDA); Merle Pierson, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA;
> Charles Lambert, Deputy Under Secretary, USDA; Ellen Terpstra,
> Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA; Stephen Sundlof,
> Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration
> (FDA); Philip Wall, Director, Agricultural, Biotechnology, and Textile
> Trade Affairs, Department of State; Leslie O'Connor, Director of
> Agricultural Affairs, Office of the US Trade Representative as well as
> other USDA officials and representatives from the U.S. Embassy in
> Tokyo.

3\. In the consultation, the two Governments shared their recognition on
the following:

[(1) Overall Framework]{.underline}

GOJ and USG will actively engage in consultations, including a working
group (*see (3) below*), over the period until this summer. At the same
time, the two sides, will respectively pursue domestic discussions and
make efforts so as to reach a final conclusion by sometime around summer
on the resumption of the importation of both American and Japanese beef.

[(2) Items for Technical and Expert Discussions]{.underline}

As items that may require discussions from technical and expert
viewpoints, the two sides will discuss the following items related to
the resumption of beef and other relevant products trade between the two
countries:

(i) Definition of BSE and the method of testing

(ii) Definition of Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) and the method of
     removal

(iii) Appropriate surveillance

(iv) Appropriate feed ban implementation

(v) Risk categorization / status of countries

(vi) Cattle month-age identification

(vii) Other

[(3) Working Group]{.underline}

GOJ and USG will establish a working group (WG) composed of experts and
working-level government officials so as to conduct discussions on the
above-mentioned technical items. The modality of WG is as follows:

(i) [Members of WG]{.underline}

> WG will be basically composed of BSE experts and working-level
> government officials of the two sides. (Each Government will
> expeditiously select members subject to agreement in advance by the
> other Government. When the two sides agree, WG will refer to
> third-party expertise such as that of the World Animal Health
> Organization (OIE).)

(ii) [Communication with the Public]{.underline}

> In order to contribute to effective and accurate communication with
> the people of the two countries, concerning food safety regulations
> and beef safety, WG will conduct press briefings as appropriate.

(iii) [Timeframe]{.underline}

> WG will be held at least once a month until this summer.

(iv) [Undersecretary/Director-General level Consultation]{.underline}

> When necessary, an Undersecretary/Director-General level consultation
> will be held. The consultation will be informed of discussions in the
> WG.

1.  The two Governments shared the view that the two sides would arrange
    the next Undersecretary/Director-General level consultation via the
    diplomatic channel by taking into consideration discussions in WG,
    which is to be launched in the middle of May.

\[END\]