TOKYO, Nov. 4 — Japan’s beef imports grew for a second straight month in September, despite Tokyo’s introduction of the World Trade Organization (WTO) special safeguard measures, data from the finance ministry has showed.
Overall beef imports to Japan surged 44% to 60,849 metric tons in September, compared with the same month a year earlier. That was the biggest rise since July 2013.
Frozen beef imports from the United States rose 21% to 10,405 metric tons in September from a year earlier, even after the Japanese government raised the tariff on imported frozen beef to 50 percent from 38.5 percent on Aug. 1.
Australian frozen beef imports in September jumped 76%, as traders switched from the US to Aussie beef for the so-called bento chains and gyudon beef bowl restaurants that rely heavily on Choice U.S. short plate as a primary ingredient.
Australia is exempted from the WTO safeguard due to the free trade agreement with Japan, with its frozen beef tariff remaining at 27.2 percent.
Frozen beef entering Japan increased 54% to 35,624 metric tons.
Meanwhile, chilled beef imports rose 32% to 25,225 metric tons. U.S. chilled beef imports jumped 49% to 13,655 metric tons, almost the same volume as high as in August, as traders looked for alternatives of U.S. frozen beef.
Japan invoked the WTO safeguard on Aug. 1 to restrict frozen beef imports temporarily by raising the tariff, as the imports rose more than 17% year-on-year in the April-June quarter.
The safeguard measures will remain in effect through the fiscal year that ends March 31, 2018.