February 10, 2004 Japan Economic Newswire

The survey found 87.1% believe Japan should not lift the ban without full testing of U.S. cattle for the brain-wasting disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Specifically, 28.3% called for the testing of all U.S. cattle while 58.8% said that in addition to such testing, the brain, spinal cords and other parts of cows considered as harboring the highest concentrations of the infectious agent for BSE should be removed.

Meanwhile, 8.2% of the respondents said the removal of such parts, called special risk materials, is the sole prerequisite for lifting the import prohibition.

Japan imposed the ban immediately after the U.S. announced Dec. 23 that its first case of mad cow disease had been found in the state of Washington.

Following the outbreak of BSE in the U.S. and the spread of bird flu in Asia, Kyodo News conducted a telephone survey on 1,473 households with voters, selected at random, last Friday and Saturday. Valid replies came from 1,015 people.

The survey confirmed consumers' strong concerns about the safety of food. In particular, more than 90% of women respondents in all age brackets other than those aged 70 and older consider it necessary to test all cattle before lifting the import ban. More than 70% of women in their 20s to 40s called for testing of all cattle as well as removal of the special risk materials.

Asked whether the outbreak of BSE and bird flu has affected dietary habits, 69.3% of the respondents said they now pay greater attention to the place of production, the presence of additives and other information carried on food packages. The percentage was particularly high for women in their 30s to 50s at more than 80%. The figure compared with 32.7% for men in their 20s.

Among other effects, 55.4% have come to purchase domestically produced foods more frequently despite higher prices, while 41.1% and 33.7% east less beef and poultry, respectively.

Japan, which currently tests all cattle for BSE, has maintained that lifting the import ban will depend on whether the U.S. adopts a testing system similar to the Japanese system. The survey findings mean that the government's stance is supported by an overwhelming majority of Japanese consumers.

But with 41.1% of the respondents eating less beef now, Japanese consumers remain relatively composed in comparison with their reaction to the outbreak of BSE in Japan in October 2001. At that time, more than 60% of consumers surveyed by Kyodo News either stopped eating beef completely or ate less beef.