02/02/06 Timeline for Japan?

02/02/06 Timeline for Japan?

A lot of the media coverage in the days since Japan halted import of U.S. beef products once again has focused on when that nation will resume such shipments. And the generic answer from Japanese officials has been, "We will resume taking U.S. beef soon, but we don't know when". One would surmise that the visit of Japanese Diet, or parliament, members earlier this week to U.S.D.A. Secretary Mike Johanns and House Ag Chair Bob Goodlatte would focus on our nation demanding some specific answers as to when. But instead, at least from Johanns point of view, we do not have a specific time frame either for reopening Japan to American beef products. And that stems from Johanns' call for an extensive investigation into how bone-in-veal, a product Japan banned as part of its agreement to resume import of U.S. beef trade last December, did enter into Japan and led to the most recent closure. JOHANNS: And so I have not set a timeline because I don't want people to have the impression that I forced everybody to work through a timeline here. What I have said is do everything you can to dig deep, make sure that no stone is left unturned. We have the F.S.I.S. that are doing their investigation, and then in our system, we have a very independent opportunity for investigation and that's our Inspector General. Johanns says until conclusions from the investigation are reached and steps implemented to assure a similar mistake does not happen again, U.S. beef shipments will not resume any time soon. In fact, the investigations may become a lengthy process on our end. JOHANNS: I have assured that this will be a no holds barred investigation, that we are going to make sure that we don't sacrifice thoroughness for speed, because in the end, I want to make sure that the report absolutely touches all the right bases, and is completely thorough. That is not to say there was not some emotion involved with the meeting, as it was reported Japanese lawmakers and Johanns exchanged heated dialogue. And Goodlatte in his meeting with Diet members went so far as to threaten U.S. retaliatory measures if Japan did not lift its ban in a timely fashion. But despite all that, Johanns says lines of communication, even personal visits, are open to Japanese officials as this process unfolds. JOHANNS: We want to be very transparent about this, and as I indicated to him, one of my final comments, we will assure anybody that comes to the Secretary's office at the U.S.D.A., that they'll be treated in a very dignified, respectful sort of way.
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