2006年VOA标准英语-Japan to Reimpose Ban on US Beef

By Steve Herman
Tokyo
20 January 2006

Japan has announced it is reimposing a ban on all U.S. beef products. Government officials say they were forced to make that decision after spinal¹ material considered risky² for bovine³ spongiform encephalopathy - also known as mad cow disease - was discovered in an incoming shipment from the United States.

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Japan made a quick decision Friday, just hours after announcing the discovery of suspect material in imported American meat, to reinstate a ban on U.S. beef. 

 

Agriculture Minister Shoichi Nakagawa    
  

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi says he has endorsed⁴ a proposal from the agriculture minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, to totally halt American beef imports.

The prime minister says ensuring food safety is extremely important and that he told Nakagawa it was a good idea to accept the recommendation to ban U.S. beef imports.

Nakagawa has called the incident a serious violation⁵ of the import process.

A two-year ban on U.S. beef was conditionally⁶ lifted last month. The agreement between Tokyo and Washington stipulated⁷ no meat would be sent to Japan from cattle over the age of 20 months, and spinal cords and other specified⁸ risk material that could transmit mad cow disease would be removed.
 

Ambassador Thomas Schieffer carves American beef for Japanese banquet guests (December, 2005 photo)   
  
U.S. Embassy spokesman Michael Boyle in Tokyo says the American government will conduct a full investigation⁹.

"We look forward to knowing the results of that investigation," said Boyle. "The United States has every intention of living up to the letter of our recent agreement in regard to beef imports into Japan and we will work closely with the appropriate authorities here in Japan and in the United States to ensure there is no repetition of this mistake."

Japanese officials say the suspect spinal material was found in a 390-kilogram shipment from New York at Narita airport, outside Tokyo. The beef had been imported by a Japanese trading company as a sample product.

Before the initial ban in December 2003, Japan was the top foreign buyer of U.S. beef - with the imports totaling $1.4 billion annually¹⁰.

1 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

2 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

3 bovine   

adj.牛的；n.牛

参考例句：

• He threw off his pack and went into the rush-grass andand munching,like some bovine creature.他丢开包袱，爬到灯心草丛里，像牛似的大咬大嚼起来。
• He was a gentle,rather bovine man.他是一位文雅而反应迟钝的人。

4 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

6 conditionally   

adv. 有条件地

参考例句：

• We will provide necessary English training to the new employees conditionally. 公司将为员工提供必要的英语培训。
• China should conditionally support and participate in the coordination. 我国对此宜持有条件支持并参与的立场。

7 stipulated   

vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的

参考例句：

• A delivery date is stipulated in the contract. 合同中规定了交货日期。
• Yes, I think that's what we stipulated. 对呀，我想那是我们所订定的。 来自辞典例句

8 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

9 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

10 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。