Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is deliberating whether to establish standards for dry aging beef. The practice has been rapidly gaining popularity in Japan’s foodservice sector, and this has heightened concerns about differing levels of hygiene controls among restaurants. Consideration of this issue is expected to extend into the next Japanese fiscal year, which begins April 1, 2016. More details on this issue are available from Yomiuri Shimbun.