TOKYO -- The agriculture and health ministries said Thursday two boxes of ox tongues that did not display U.S. government certification required by Japan's import rules were found among beef imports from the United States.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare have suspended imports from the Green Bay factory of Smithfield in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, which delivered the shipment, for the time being, they said.
This was the 11th violation of Japanese import regulations involving U.S. beef shipments since 2006, when Japan conditionally lifted the import ban it had imposed following the mad cow disease scare that hit U.S. livestock.
The two boxes of ox tongues weighing 25.6 kilograms in total were among some 6 tons of U.S. beef products unloaded at Tokyo port on Nov. 17, according to the agriculture ministry.
Japan lifted the ban on U.S. beef imports on condition that meat is obtained from cattle 20 months old or younger and that brain tissues and other "specified risk materials," deemed to be closely linked to the mad cow disease infection, are removed.
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Although ox tongues do not constitute such materials, Japan requires a U.S. government certificate testifying that they are from young cattle.
The two ministries said they have asked the U.S. government to submit an investigation report on the case.
