Japan reopens full access to Canadian processed beef exports

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced that Japan is reopening its doors to Canadian processed beef for the first time in two decades

The development removes the last restrictions on Canadian beef that Japan put in place in 2003, after the discovery of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Alberta.

This expanded market access opportunity follows another loosening of restrictions in 2019, when Japan approved imports of Canadian beef from cattle older than 30 months.

Japan is an important market for Canada and the world. In 2022, the Japanese market for Canadian beef and beef products had an estimated value of $518 million, largely due to Canada’s preferential access under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).