Japan Reopens Market to Beef from Northern Argentina After 20 Years

Japan’s agriculture ministry said on Wednesday, Sept. 30, that it had reached an agreement with the Argentine government on the conditions required to resume imports of beef and beef products from northern Argentina.

Argentina’s beef exports are currently concentrated mainly in China, which accounts for 60% of shipments, and the United States, with a 16% share. The chart below shows the share of the other main destinations:

Top Destinations for Argentine Beef Exports | Jan-Jul 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The reopening comes after 20 years in which the Japanese market remained closed to beef from that part of Argentina because of sanitary concerns related to foot-and-mouth disease.

According to Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo, who announced the development on social media, and the Japanese government statement, the agreement applies to areas of the country that are recognized as free of foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination.

Northern Argentina comprises the provinces of La Pampa, Buenos Aires excluding Patagonia, Mendoza, San Luis, San Juan, La Rioja, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Misiones, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca, Tucumán, Jujuy, Salta and Formosa.

The measure could benefit Brazilian companies with operations in Argentina, including Minerva Foods and MBRF. JBS does not operate beef plants in the country.

Argentine Beef Exports to Japan Still Require Facility Inspections

Japan’s agriculture ministry stressed, however, that the agreement on animal health conditions does not mean imports from northern Argentina will begin immediately.

“The Japanese government will conduct on-site inspections and designate meat-handling facilities that meet the animal health requirements before imports from those facilities are permitted,” the ministry said in its statement.

The Japanese ministry also said that in February, the Livestock Health Subcommittee of Japan’s Food, Agriculture and Rural Policy Council concluded that the risk of foot-and-mouth disease entering Japan would be extremely low if boneless beef from northern Argentina were properly matured.

Because the region is free of foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination, Argentine beef exports to Japan will be limited to beef that has undergone maturation and deboning to inactivate the foot-and-mouth disease virus, as well as products derived from that meat, according to the Japanese statement. Japan’s risk assessment specifies deboning and maturation for at least 24 hours at 2°C or above, with the meat reaching a pH below 6.0.

Imports of beef and beef products from Uruguay, which is also free of foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination, are already permitted under similar conditions.

The Japanese government noted that beef and beef products from southern Argentina, or Patagonia, which is free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, as is Japan, were already permitted without the need for maturation or deboning. The region, however, accounts for only about 2% of Argentina’s cattle herd. Japan’s official quarantine rules have listed Patagonia as an approved Argentine region for beef exports.

Source: Globo Rural

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