Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO498
2009-03-04 22:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PROBLEMS WITH AG MINISTRY
how-toVZCZCXRO9878 RR RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0498 0632247 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 042247Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1242 INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 4620 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8068 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4090 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 2770 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 0563 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 5118 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 6561 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3321 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3483 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS TOKYO 000498
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS OA, ONA, OCRA AND OFSO/KWAINIO,
MBEILLARD
USTR FOR EHOLLOWAY, BCHATTIN, CBERTSCH, DSEIDBAND, AND
ABURDETT
STATE FOR EEB/TPP AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRC TBIO JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PROBLEMS WITH AG MINISTRY
STORAGE OF IMPORTED RICE
REF: STATE 19794
UNCLAS TOKYO 000498
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS OA, ONA, OCRA AND OFSO/KWAINIO,
MBEILLARD
USTR FOR EHOLLOWAY, BCHATTIN, CBERTSCH, DSEIDBAND, AND
ABURDETT
STATE FOR EEB/TPP AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRC TBIO JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PROBLEMS WITH AG MINISTRY
STORAGE OF IMPORTED RICE
REF: STATE 19794
1. Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) Responding to demarche points contained in reftel,
Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) Staple Foods Department
International Office Director Tadashi Sato stated imported
rice is more susceptible to mold than Japanese domestic rice
due to variables such as sea freight shipping conditions.
Such rice, Sato told Embassy FAS and econoffs March 4,
therefore must be subject to a higher level of scrutiny. As
the "seller" of imported rice, MAFF has to take extra
precautions to ensure the safety of this product, he said.
Sato insisted as well that MAFF's press releases are
unbiased. Emboffs strongly expressed U.S. dissatisfaction
that imported rice is held to much higher inspection
standards and urged equal treatment for imported and Japanese
domestic rice.
3. (SBU) Arguing the GOJ position, Sato said the "Scientific
Committee on Mold on Government-Held Rice," a group made up
of researchers, scientists, and MAFF officials that convened
in December 2008 following an incident involving
aflatoxin-tainted rice from Thailand, had determined that
imported rice is subject to certain conditions that increase
the risk of mold. These conditions, Sato continued, include
differences in the regulatory standards applied to producers
and the lack of climate-controlled shipping containers. That
most imported rice is milled also increases its
susceptibility to mold, Sato stated. By comparison, Sato
argued, Japanese rice is delivered to the local cooperative
and stored in its facilities on a short-term basis as brown
rice and immediately removed from the distribution network if
mold is found. (Comment: Sato seemed to imply that because
domestic rice never leaves the seller's control, it is a
higher quality product. End comment.) Based on the
Subcommittee's recommendations, MAFF revised its inspections
procedures to include visual inspections of every bag of rice
in preparation for sale from MAFF-controlled and
MAFF-affiliated warehouses.
4. (SBU) Asked about storage conditions for the U.S. rice,
Sato said the imported rice is kept in several warehouses,
both those owned and operated by MAFF and subcontracted to
third parties. The temperature within the storage
facilities, Sato explained, is generally maintained at 15
degrees Celsius or lower, with adequate dehumidification, and
that both the climate conditions and the rice itself are
regularly monitored. Sato initially declined emboffs'
request to provide logs recording temperature, humidity,
warehouse locations, and length of time in storage, arguing
the USG should "trust" MAFF to ensure the necessary
conditions for storage of imported rice. He later said he
would look into the feasibility of providing this
information. Embassy will follow-up with him on this request.
ZUMWALT
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS USDA FOR FAS OA, ONA, OCRA AND OFSO/KWAINIO,
MBEILLARD
USTR FOR EHOLLOWAY, BCHATTIN, CBERTSCH, DSEIDBAND, AND
ABURDETT
STATE FOR EEB/TPP AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRC TBIO JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PROBLEMS WITH AG MINISTRY
STORAGE OF IMPORTED RICE
REF: STATE 19794
1. Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.
2. (SBU) Responding to demarche points contained in reftel,
Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) Staple Foods Department
International Office Director Tadashi Sato stated imported
rice is more susceptible to mold than Japanese domestic rice
due to variables such as sea freight shipping conditions.
Such rice, Sato told Embassy FAS and econoffs March 4,
therefore must be subject to a higher level of scrutiny. As
the "seller" of imported rice, MAFF has to take extra
precautions to ensure the safety of this product, he said.
Sato insisted as well that MAFF's press releases are
unbiased. Emboffs strongly expressed U.S. dissatisfaction
that imported rice is held to much higher inspection
standards and urged equal treatment for imported and Japanese
domestic rice.
3. (SBU) Arguing the GOJ position, Sato said the "Scientific
Committee on Mold on Government-Held Rice," a group made up
of researchers, scientists, and MAFF officials that convened
in December 2008 following an incident involving
aflatoxin-tainted rice from Thailand, had determined that
imported rice is subject to certain conditions that increase
the risk of mold. These conditions, Sato continued, include
differences in the regulatory standards applied to producers
and the lack of climate-controlled shipping containers. That
most imported rice is milled also increases its
susceptibility to mold, Sato stated. By comparison, Sato
argued, Japanese rice is delivered to the local cooperative
and stored in its facilities on a short-term basis as brown
rice and immediately removed from the distribution network if
mold is found. (Comment: Sato seemed to imply that because
domestic rice never leaves the seller's control, it is a
higher quality product. End comment.) Based on the
Subcommittee's recommendations, MAFF revised its inspections
procedures to include visual inspections of every bag of rice
in preparation for sale from MAFF-controlled and
MAFF-affiliated warehouses.
4. (SBU) Asked about storage conditions for the U.S. rice,
Sato said the imported rice is kept in several warehouses,
both those owned and operated by MAFF and subcontracted to
third parties. The temperature within the storage
facilities, Sato explained, is generally maintained at 15
degrees Celsius or lower, with adequate dehumidification, and
that both the climate conditions and the rice itself are
regularly monitored. Sato initially declined emboffs'
request to provide logs recording temperature, humidity,
warehouse locations, and length of time in storage, arguing
the USG should "trust" MAFF to ensure the necessary
conditions for storage of imported rice. He later said he
would look into the feasibility of providing this
information. Embassy will follow-up with him on this request.
ZUMWALT