Japanese government announced today that it will implement a safeguard curb on imported fresh and chilled beef and porks.

In the case of beef, the tariff rate will be raised from current 38.5% to 50%. The new rate will be applied from the beginning of this August to the end of March next year.

The food service industry in Japan, and beef exporting countries such as U.S. are strongly protesting this decision.

The import volume of fresh and chilled beef and porks from April to June this year increased by 34% and far exceeded the creterion for invoking the safeguards, because the last year imports of beef had largely declined under the influence of BSE.

Frozen beef, whose increase rate was only 5%, will be exempt from the action.