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TOKYO (AP) - Japan has no immediate plans to relax its strict conditions on imports of U.S. beef, despite a decision by an international body saying some restrictions were not necessary, the government said Wednesday.
Japan only allows imports of U.S. beef from cattle not more than 20 months old, citing concerns about mad cow disease, which is believed to be more likely to affect older animals. The U.S. has called for that restriction to be eased.
The World Organization for Animal Health recently said the United States was a "controlled risk nation," a category that means countries can export beef irrespective of the animal's age, according to Toshio Katagai, a health ministry official.
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