Posted on 06/09/2004 5:49:31 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
SAVANNAH, Ga., June 8 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, showing he himself had no qualms about U.S. beef -- banned in Japan due to concerns over mad cow disease -- ate beef tenderloin when he lunched with President George W. Bush on Tuesday.
"The beef was delicious. And the prime minister ate it too," said a senior Japanese official who accompanied Koizumi to the lunch at the Georgia resort of Sea Island ahead of the Group of Eight nations summit.
Tokyo, who was the biggest foreign buyer of U.S. beef, imposed a ban on U.S. beef imports after the first case of mad cow disease was found in the United States in December. The move has also hit the Japanese, for example causing a popular dish of rice topped with beef and onions to disappear from the menus of many Japanese restaurants.
Tokyo and Washington had been in a deadlock over testing U.S. cattle for mad cow disease, but in a move likely to ease the agony of the "beef bowl" lovers, officials from the two countries have set up a working group aimed at resuming Japan's imports of U.S. beef.
This is perhaps the start of a good move for our ranchers.
You have no idea how the lack of Yoshinoya Gyu-don is killing single businessmen. That bowl of beef and rice is their life, more loved than even the Big Mac in America, and it's American beef. They were considering using Australian beef for it and found that the meat doesnt taste as good, so they've been using pork as a substitute. It's amusing that they havent mentioned that beef is Americas #1 export to Japan.
What ? No soba noodles ?
I had no idea - fascinating - particularly since they are known for Kobe - I had just assumed they were not big importers.
Is Kobe innocent or guilty?
I bet it was great! I am gettin hungry just thinking about it.... sigh, well I better go toss my frozen diner in the microwave. :-(
Yeah, maybe you didnt know this, but for a 8oz. slice of Kobe beef IN KOBE, it costs over 50$ or more.
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