Good news for Oklahoma ranchers, Japan lifts ban on US beef

HONG KONG (AP) -- Good news for Oklahoma cattle ranchers -- American beef will soon be back on the menu in Japan.<br/><br/>Oklahoma ranks among the top five states in cattle production.<br/><br/>Japan

Monday, December 12th 2005, 2:54 pm

By: News On 6

HONG KONG (AP) -- Good news for Oklahoma cattle ranchers -- American beef will soon be back on the menu in Japan.

Oklahoma ranks among the top five states in cattle production.

Japan announced Monday it's easing its ban on the meat and US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns says American beef could be arriving in Japan in a week to ten days.

Japan banned American beef in 2003 after the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in a US herd.

And in response to Japan's action Japanese meat will be allowed back in the US. Johanns says the United States will allow imports of whole cuts of Japanese boneless beef under conditions safeguarding against mad cow disease.