Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Wednesday denied that Japan will agree to resume imports of American beef in time for US President George W. Bush's trip to Japan next month.

"It is misunderstanding... It is not a matter that should be resolved before the talks with President Bush," Koizumi said in a parliamentary debate with Seiji Maehara, leader of the main opposition, the Democratic Party of Japan.

The comments were made in response to Maehara's criticism that it would be "rough and ready" if Japan agreed to lift the import ban, which was implemented over food safety concerns, because of the coming summit talks.

Koizumi said Japan will resume imports of beef from the United States only when safety standards are cleared.

He said beef imports will not be resumed without proof that the beef meets Japanese safety standards -- spinal cords, brains and other specified risk materials must be removed from the cows prior to processing, and the animals must be 20 months or younger.

An expert panel of the Japanese government-appointed Food Safety Commission said Monday that there is little difference in the risks posed by beef from North America and Japanese cows. The report was seen as paving the way for lifting the ban on US beef imports before Bush's visit to Japan next month.

Bush is slated to meet with Koizumi in Kyoto on Nov. 16 as part of a four-nation Asian tour that also takes him to China, South Korea and Mongolia.

Japan has banned Canadian and US beef imports since mad cow disease was discovered in Canada in May 2003 and in the United States in December the same year.

Source: Xinhua