HONG KONG -- The United States on Monday welcomed Japan's decision to lift a nearly two-year-long ban on U.S. beef imports over concerns about mad cow disease, calling the move "great news for American producers and Japanese consumers."

"I am very pleased to announce that the Japanese market is now open to U.S. beef products," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, who is in Hong Kong to attend a crucial ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization set to open Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference, Johanns said the two countries normalized beef trade based on "scientifically sound and internationally recognized standards."