One of Japan's top supermarket chains, Ito-Yokado Co., said Thursday it would resume sales of US beef at stores in Tokyo after taking it off the shelves due to a mad cow disease scare.
Ito-Yokado will start selling US beef at its 20 outlets in and around the capital from Friday following its own investigation into the safety of US beef, it said in a statement.
Japan and the United States resumed talks this week on Washington's demand for an easing of Japanese restrictions on US beef imports following an independent report that the meat has little risk.
Japan, formerly the top overseas market for US beef, had halted imports twice since 2003 due to mad cow disease scares, but agreed last July to resume US beef imports on condition the cattle were not more than 20 months old at the time of slaughter, with brains, spinal cords and other risky parts removed.
Japan has so far steadfastly rejected US calls to increase the age limit.
Consumption of US beef in Japan remains far below previous levels after years of bad publicity.
