Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Reuters): Japan will resume imports of heat-treated processed poultry from China and Thailand after experts confirm the bird-flu affected countries met Japanese sanitary standards, a minister said.

Japan held talks with China and Thailand last week in Tokyo about resuming imports of heat-treated poultry products. “I would like to resume imports after sending experts and getting confirmation,” agriculture minister Yoshiyuki Kamei told public broadcaster NHK today.

He added it would take some time before Japan was able to resume beef imports from the US.