NEW YORK (Dow Jones) - The Japanese government will lift its two-year ban on U.S. beef as early as Monday, according to a published report.

The move should make U.S. beef available to Japanese consumers by the end of the year, the Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.

Japan's Food Safety Commission will file a report Thursday with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, as well as the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare saying that the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, is now "extremely low," according to the newspaper.

Japan banned U.S. beef in December 2003 after a cow imported from Canada to Washington state showed signs of the disease. Wachovia Securities analyst Ghansham Panjabi said Japanese demand, at that time, had accounted for about 10% of total U.S. beef production.

Imports will be limited to beef from cattle that are 20 months old or younger, the newspaper article said.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

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