U.S. TO ASK JAPAN TO DROP BEEF RESTRICTIONS U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng will ask the Japanese Government to remove all beef import restrictions when he visits there next month. Lyng's remarks came in a speech at Oklahoma State University today. "We think Japanese consumers should have the same freedom of choice as our consumers. Look at all the Japanese cameras and tape recorders in this room. We know they'd buy more beef if they had the opportunity," Lyng said.