Japan’s health ministry will relax the age limit on U.S. beef to 30 months from 20 months next year after it receives approval from the nation’s Food Safety Commission as early as this month.

Japan is moving toward relaxing restrictions on American beef imports, which had been limited because of fears about mad-cow disease.

"The United States (will) resume imports from Japan from Aug. 17 onwards, acknowledging that (Japan) is clean from foot-and-mouth disease," the ministry said.

Japan halted beef imports from a JBS Swift plant in Grand Island, Neb., after finding material prohibited under rules to control the risk of mad cow disease.

Japan may ease its policy on limiting U.S. beef imports to cattle age 20 months or younger.

Japan has halted beef imports from a Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Hillsdale, Ill., after finding meat that could not be confirmed to comply with its restrictions.

According to Bloomberg news reports, Japan is preparing to ease restrictions on U.S. beef imports in the wake of a drop in domestic cattle production after the country's earthquake-related nuclear disasters.

High levels of radioactive cesium have turned up in beef from cattle raised in the region of Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors. Japan’s government has mandated an expansion of its meat monitoring program, reports MSNBC.

Tyson Foods Inc. and Smithfield Foods Inc. will likely raise shipments to Japan because of disruption to the company’s output due to the recent natural disasters, analysts said.