The first shipment of U.S. beef arrived at Japan's Narita airport on Monday, after Japan decided to reopen its market to American beef late last month, Kyodo News said.

The beef will go through quarantine at the airport before reaching Japanese meat importers. Kyodo said the beef is of " modest" amount and will be available to common consumers at least a week later.

Japan, a major importer of the meat, issued the original ban on U.S. beef in December 2003, when the United States discovered its first case of the mad cow disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The ban was eased in December 2005, and reinstated in January 2006 when a shipment containing risky parts was discovered at Narita airport.

The six-month ban was eased on July 27 after a team of Japanese government inspectors checked the safeguard measures at 35 meatpacking plants that Washington has certified as suppliers to Japan.

Source: Xinhua