Japanese restaurateurs are urging their government to ease import restrictions on U.S. beef. The Japan Food Service Association (JFSA) and three other restaurant groups say supply of U.S. beef has lagged critically behind demand and driven prices higher, the Japan Times reports.

As of the end of October, only 3,241 tons of U.S. beef had been imported into Japan. And fewer than 30% of restaurants serving U.S. beef before the late 2003 ban now do so, a JFSA nationwide poll found.