TOKYO, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may agree to resume American beef imports in a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush to be held in New York on Sept. 21.
The Yomiuri Shimbun Wednesday quoted a government source as saying, "The problem now is to what extent we can work out details for the agreement before the summit."
Imports of U.S. beef were suspended after an American cow was discovered to have mad cow disease last December.
A subcommittee of the Food Safety Commission in the Cabinet Office Monday recommended shifting the official stance on beef testing, on the grounds that mad cow disease could not be detected in cows aged 20 months or younger with the current testing method.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda indicated the Commission would discuss the subcommittee's recommendation Thursday.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yoshiyuki Kamei suggested his ministry would discuss a change in its measures based on the Commission's report.
