The Japanese government has announced that it will lift a ban on beef from the UK, which was put in place in 1996 after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) three years earlier.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced yesterday that the import of British beef would restart, but added that the ban will remain in place on beef from animals older than 30 months, and on certain body parts, such as the spinal cord.

The decision was made after Japan’s health ministry consulted with the British government and conducted a field survey on beef samples from the UK.

Britain has long insisted its beef is safe for other countries to export, and the EU lifted a similar ban after 10 years in 2006.

This move by the Japanese government coincides with its prime minister, Shinzo Abe, visiting Britain today ( January 10th).

Abe’s visit comes months before Britain leaves the EU in March. The bloc sealed a free trade agreement in December, which sees Japan’s tariffs on European beef imports reduce from 28.5 per cent to nine per cent over the next 15 years.

An import ban on British lamb will also be lifted.