USMEF names Japan Director

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has promoted Takemichi Yamashoji to the position of Japan director.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has promoted Takemichi Yamashoji to the position of Japan director. Yamashoji has been with USMEF since 1999, serving most recently as senior marketing director. As director of USMEF’s Japan operations, he will now be responsible for managing market development programs for U.S. pork and beef, identifying emerging opportunities for U.S. exporters, monitoring regulatory and public policy proceedings and evaluating economic trends and conditions in the Japanese market.

“Takemichi Yamashoji is not only an established veteran of the Japanese meat trade, but is also well-known and highly respected in the U.S. meat industry,” said USMEF Chair Roel Andriessen, who heads the international sales group for Tyson Fresh Meats. “The USMEF officer team is very confident in his ability to build upon USMEF’s strong reputation in Japan and to confront ongoing market challenges and opportunities for U.S. red meat exports.”

USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng offered similar observations on Yamashoji’s appointment.

“At a time when the Japanese beef and pork markets are extremely competitive and USMEF must battle each and every day to expand and defend U.S. market share, our Japan operations could not be in better hands,” Seng said.

Japan is the leading value market for both U.S. pork and beef, with 2015 exports (through November) totaling $1.46 billion and $1.19 billion, respectively. Japan is not currently open to U.S. lamb exports, but regulatory proceedings are in progress that may restore access for U.S. lamb.

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