The Irish and Japanese governments have signed an agreement where Irish beef products will return to Japan after a 12 year absence. The ban on Irish beef was put in place by Japan at the height of the BSE scare in 2001. The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney T.D., and Irish Taoiseach lead a trade delegation to Japan in hopes to secure agricultural treaties and agreements between the two nations. The Minister and An Taoiseach were part of a trade delegation consisting of Bord Bia, Teagasc and IBEC. Minister Coveney met with his Japanese counterpart Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.