It is 2008-is beef Jerky still ban?

I will be visiting Japan next month and my cousin LOVES beef jerky. When I've been back since the ban he has been very dissapointed that I cannot bring him omiage of beef jerky. I tell him it's Japan's rules, not the US's.

The beef band has nothing to do with importation of beef jerky, its actually a SEPARATE rule enforced by many many countries about bring meat and animal products into their borders. Even before the beef ban/partial restriction, and now semi partial restriction it has always been restricted for private citizens to bring in meat related products.

The US has similar laws, the UK has similar laws, most countries have similar laws when it comes to passengers coming into their borders about having meat related products.

I think beef jerky is allowed into Japan, even as personal imports.

First of all, I once spoke to a Japanese guy in Japan who was eating Australian jerky. I commented that I am from Australia and the one he was consuming was a good brand a lot of tourists loved. He said he actually bought it within Japan.

I mentioned that because the package he had is infact sold at most of the Australian airports' duty free shops. As such they should be able to be carried into Japan, seeing how Australia and Japan are one of the most popular tourist destinations for each other also Aussie beef has always been labelled safe. (Obviously doesn't apply to other beef jerkys)

Also beef jerkys are dried and don't carry the risk of raw meat products.

It doesn't matter if it is dried, processed, cooked etc. At least in relation to beef from US, UK and many EU countries.

http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/product/import.html


However, it is impossible to import from Canada and U.S.A beef products (e.g. beef jerky, ham, sausage) into Japan.

Even in the case of countries from which meat may be brought in, it will be necessary to receive an inspection in the country of origin that satisfies Japanese standards and obtain an inspection certificate issued by the government authority. No meat products can be brought into Japan without this inspection certificate.

If I recall if you have meat from Australia, it must have the inspection certificate.

Even with the lift recently again of some American beef from some companies:
Beef for export will require age verification to assure it came from cattle less than 21 months old. No processed beef will be allowed; the ministry said sniffer dogs at airports will check luggage to keep out beef jerky and other processed products.

When I worked in duty free in New Zealand, only beef jerky with an inspection seal could be taken into Japan, as mentioned above.

The ban on jerky from the US isn't likely to be lifted as it is part of a blanket ban on meat products from other countries unless the products are certified. Many countries have this rule, especially island countries where maintaining biosecurity is important.

Look here: www.chicago.us.emb-japan/Consular/custom.html

It would appear we can take beef jerky in through custom, but not mail it to Japan. I'm printing the form so if any uninformed custom agent tries to confiscate it I can show them the update. Probably won't help if I get a stubborn agent, but maybe I'll get lucky and get a reasonable one willing to get a supervisor who reads English.

Which can be a recipe for disaster if they pull out the Japanese regulation that says it is not allowed because these things change all the time with items being banned and unbanned from many countries. In the end, that regulation will win.
In Japan it's cooperate or get the boot.

I would hope the regs are the same in Japan as it is from the Japan Embassy. I went to an official Japanese organization-not an informal fourm.

You would be surprised by the lack of communication between government departments in Japan sometimes. Anyway, all you can do is try- in the end, it's just beef jerky, isn't it- your cousin will survive without it!

I would have thought it was possible to buy it somewhere in Japan, anyway.

Welcome to the world of government bureaucracy. Every country has it.
I'll use home in the US for example. Did you know that you DON'T need to show an ID to fly on an airplane? Most people think you do , but if you look at the regs you don't.
(its printed on the TSA website) but then the airline security folks contradict themselves and always demand you to show an ID even if you show them the print out.

There's odds you'd be ok, but I'm just saying if they don't allow it, its not something that I would fight about. Especially with Customs officials at the airport.

Regulations regarding meet products change all the time as it is a fluid environment, just like items from China constantly being banned or recalled.

The thing is that there is often a good reason for banning these items. In New Zealand for example, when imported diseases/animals/insects have got in, they have in some cases decimated local wildlife and in others had a profound effect on farmers and produce exporters.

Agriculture is a huge part of NZ's economy, and if foot-and-mouth or BSE ever gets in it will most likely cause our economy to collapse. Failure to declare banned items is a crime with quite serious penalties in NZ. While it might not be quite so serious in Japan, remember that the rules are often there for a good reason.

my wife buys beef jerky at Costco Fukuoka all the time, i don't eat it so have never checked to see where it comes from but i would guess it is cheaper than buying at a duty free shop.

I can attest to the fact that beef jerky is available in Tokyo at least. I know you can buy it at costco and even some of the convenience stores. I even bought a bag in nikko on my last trip there.

It wasn't the best beef jerky, and the only kind I've found has been teriyaki flavored, no peppered yet, but it is available. Just got to look for it.

Tess, were you able to confirm the finding on the website you provided?

http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/Consular/custom.html

As posted by your original question, the question is if someone entering Japan can bring in beef jerky. Of course, we can find beef jerky in Japan but I would imagine the quality may not be as good as some in the US and that the price would be more expensive.

Following is a quotation from the website of Animal Quarantine Service of Japan.
http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/product/import.html

=qte=
What Procedures are Required for Bringing Meat Products (Meat or Processed Meat Products) into Japan?
An inspection certificate will be required.
Bringing meat products (beef, beef jerky, sausage, etc.,) into Japan is permitted from some countries and prohibited from other countries due to outbreaks of illnesses or diseases that affect livestock, etc.

Even in the case of countries from which meat may be brought in, it will be necessary to receive an inspection in the country of origin that satisfies Japanese standards and obtain an inspection certificate issued by the government authority. No meat products can be brought into Japan without this inspection certificate. This requirement applies to any import irrespective of the use or quantity: it should be noted that import of such products for souvenir, personal consumption or commercial sample, no matter how small the quantity is, needs to obtain an inspection certificate issued by the government authority.
= unqte =

As posted by your original question, the question is if someone entering Japan can bring in beef jerky.

Generally speaking, no you cannot bring in beef jerky or other meat products. The law seems designed with commercial importers in mind and it looks impractical and expensive for the regular person to bring in relatively small amounts of beef jerky.

Of course, we can find beef jerky in Japan but I would imagine the quality may not be as good as some in the US and that the price would be more expensive.

In fact, beef jerky is widely available, with even some US brands readily available around the country. And as a beef jerky lover myself, I find that the quality is high and the prices are comparable.

Tess, were you able to confirm the finding on the website you provided?

http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/Consular/custom.html

As posted by your original question, the question is if someone entering Japan can bring in beef jerky. Of course, we can find beef jerky in Japan but I would imagine the quality may not be as good as some in the US and that the price would be more expensive.

bBut I have been there and back and apparently it is OK to bring in beef jerky for personal use, but not a whole suitcase full. But the product must be labled as having been properly inspected. If you have seen it on a bag of beef jerky you know how small that is! It can be confiscated if the custom agent looking at it can't tell, in which case just go with the flow and let it go-it's not worth it, after all.

In Nov 2010, I flew from Vancouver, Canada to Osaka (Kansai) with beef jerky made in Argentina. It was confiscated.

The Quarantine officer showed me an English document similar to the one found at the AQS http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/ which stated all beef jerky, irrespective of country of origin, is banned. I told him it wasn't from Canada or the US but from Argentina. He insisted that even though it was from Argentina, beef jerky is banned no matter what the country of origin.

He knew almost no English despite being quite young (20's - 30's).

My recommendation: as of Nov 2010, don't bring beef jerky into Japan. It'll be taken from you.