With reference to Australian beef exports to Japan:

(1) (a) What discussions has the Minister undertaken with Japanese officials during 2002 in relation to Australian beef imports to Japan known as `Aussie Beef'; (b) who attended each meeting; (c) when did each meeting occur; (d) what was discussed at each meeting; and (e) what records were kept of each meeting.

(2) (a) What discussions has the Minister had with Japanese officials specifically in relation to the import restrictions known as the `snap-back'; (b) who attended each meeting; (c) when did each meeting occur; (d) what was discussed at each meeting; and (e) what records were kept of each meeting.

(3) Is the `snap-back' calculated on total beef imports into Japan, or on a country-by-country basis.

(4) Will the `snap-back' be invoked on Australian beef imports to Japan during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 financial years.

(1) (a) The Minister had the following meetings in 2002 with Japanese officials where Australian beef exports to Japan were discussed

(i) (b) Mr Tsutomu Takebe, Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;

Mr Takehiko Endoh, Senior Vice Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;

Mr Yoshiharu Takenaka, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;

Mr Hidenori Murakami, Director General, International Affairs Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and

Mr Masayuki Araki, Director, International Policy Planning Division, General Food Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

(i) (c) Tuesday 29 January 2002

(i) (d) Issues discussed at this meeting included the postponed Quint meeting, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and its effect on Australian beef sales to Japan, fisheries, Japanese agricultural policy, rice and Australian exports to Japan.

(i) (e) There is a cable reporting on this meeting.

(ii) (b) Mr Chikara Sakaguchi, Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare;

Dr Shinpei Ozaki, Director General, Department of Food Sanitation, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; and

Dr Satoshi Takaya, Director, Inspection and Safety Division, Department of Food Sanitation, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

(ii) (c) Wednesday 30 January 2002

(ii) (d) Issues discussed at this meeting included BSE, and the safety of Australian beef.

(ii) (e) There is a cable reporting on this meeting.

(iii) (b) Mr Koyo Nishikawa, Deputy Chairman Liberal Democratic Party Diet Affairs Committee, Member of the House of Representatives; and

Mr Masahiro Imamura, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

(iii) (c) Wednesday 30 January 2002

(iii) (d) Issues discussed at this meeting included the Doha Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, Japan's agricultural policy, BSE and Australian beef exports to Japan

(iii) (e) There is no written record of this meeting as it was a luncheon meeting

(iv) (b) Mr Takehiko Endoh, Senior Vice Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Mr Eiji Ishigaki, Secretary to the Senior Vice Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Mr Masayuki Araki, Director, International Policy Planning Division, General Food Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr Hiroyuki Nishiura, Deputy Director, International Economic Affairs Division, General Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Mr Akihiro Mae, Deputy Director, Far Seas Fisheries Division, Resources Management Department, Japanese Fisheries Agency

Mr Yuichi Nakamura, Chief, International Policy Planning Division, General Food Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Mr Tetsuya Tamai, Counsellor Agriculture, Japanese Embassy

(iv) (c) Saturday 28 April 2002

(iv) (d) Issues discussed at this meeting include the Japanese beef market following BSE, the safety of Australian beef, the proposed new Japanese Food Safety Agency, the Japanese Prime Minister's forthcoming visit to Australia, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations.

(iv) (e) There is a record of this meeting.

(2) (a) The Minister had the following meeting in 2002 with Japanese officials where the issue of `snap-back' was discussed

(b) Mr Tsutomu Takebe, Japanese Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry;

Mr Yoshiharu Takenaka, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and

Mr Hidenori Murakami, Director General, International Affairs Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

(c) Thursday 25 July 2002

(d) Issues discussed at this meeting included the possible triggering of the WTO safeguards (`snap-back') provisions for Japanese beef imports, Japanese agricultural policies and the proposed new Japanese Food Safety Agency.

(e) There is a cable reporting on this meeting.

(3) The `snap-back' is calculated on total beef imports into Japan. Separate and identical `snap-back' mechanisms apply for chilled and frozen beef.

(4) Minister Truss and the Trade Minister will be negotiating with the Japanese Government with a view to removing the `snap-back' provision.