Japanese wagyu beef may be allowed to be imported into Taiwan; foodies could enjoy it as early as mid-September

▲ Kobe beef with its beautiful marbling. (Photo / Nathan Yung)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Foodies won’t need to fly to Japan to enjoy Japanese wagyu beef in the future. On July 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft regulations titled “Import Regulations for Beef and Beef Products from the Netherlands,” “Import Regulations for Beef and Beef Products from Sweden,” and “Import Regulations for Beef and Beef Products from Japan” (No. Wei-Shou-Shi No. 1061301743), setting import conditions for beef and related products from the Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan in the future. The earliest possible announcement is expected in mid-September, after which Japanese wagyu beef can be imported, allowing foodies to enjoy delicious wagyu without traveling to Japan.

The FDA’s proposed import conditions for Japanese wagyu specify that only healthy cattle under 30 months of age are eligible, and only bone-in or boneless beef products may be imported. Other parts associated with BSE risks—such as specified risk materials including nervous tissue, distal ileum, tonsils, spinal cord, and vertebrae—must be removed during slaughter. With the possibility of importing Japanese wagyu, foodies are sure to be delighted, and many yakiniku restaurants are expected to bring it in to satisfy their customers’ appetites, making it possible to enjoy Kobe beef and Omi beef right here in Taiwan. The yakiniku chain operator Kanpai Group has also expressed optimism about this development.