Taipei: Taiwan is planning to allow the import of Japanese beef products of all ages but has yet to set a timeline, said Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) Director-General Chiang Chih-kang on Monday. The TFDA initially proposed the plan on March 4, initiating a 60-day window for public opinion, which concluded on Monday. However, Chiang noted that further discussion is necessary before establishing a firm timeline for lifting current restrictions on Japanese beef imports.

According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwan currently permits the import of beef products from Japan only from cattle no older than 30 months. These stringent regulations were implemented in 2003 during the peak of the international bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak, commonly known as mad cow disease. By 2017, Taiwan had relaxed import regulations for beef from the United States, Canada, and Japan, eventually permitting imports of beef of all ages from the United States and Canada in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Japan is expected to be added to this list soon.

Chiang mentioned that Japan has not reported a case of mad cow disease in over 15 years, and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has categorized Japanese beef as safe as that of the U.S. and Canada. More than 30 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union, have already allowed the import of Japanese beef products of all ages, and Taiwan's move will align with international standards.

Chiang also stated that the most conservative estimate for higher-risk boned beef products indicates that only one in 150 million consumers may be at risk of exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which is associated with mad cow disease. Regarding the timeline for drafting and completing related regulations, Chiang emphasized that discussions involving experts and representatives from various fields are necessary for a gradual rollout to ensure safety.