Farm minister Shoichi Nakagawa

"It was not possible to check if conditions for resuming U.S. beef imports were being met until we actually resumed imports," Nakagawa said in response to questions from Democratic Party of Japan member Yoshihisa Matsuno during a session of the Lower House Budget Committee.

He apologized and said he would "consider how to take responsibility" for deciding not to go forward with the inspections before resuming beef imports, an inaction that may have been partially to blame for a beef shipment that contained banned materials and resulted in the ban being reinstated.

The Cabinet promised the Diet in November that it would send officials to check U.S. meat processing plants before opening Japan's doors to beef.

But neither the agriculture nor health ministries sent officials until Dec. 13, one day after Japan resumed the beef trade.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 4, 2006
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