"We know how safe it really is," she said of American beef.

I'm a big proponent of American beef but there's always a market for something new.

Japan and about a dozen other countries have banned imports of American beef.

The closure has cost the American beef industry about $4 billion a year.

Within days of the discovery, 53 countries banned American beef.

Japan imported $1.4 billion worth of American beef in 2003 before the ban was imposed.

So far, the reaction here to the first shipments of American beef has been mixed.

Japan finally agreed to import American beef, but only from cattle younger than 21 months.

But many in the restaurant industry say they believe that the low price and tastiness of American beef will quickly win over customers.

Japan was one of more than 60 countries that initially barred American beef in 2003.