Japan made a surprise move today that caught North America’s beef trade off guard.  The Japanese government announced today, its imposing emergency tariffs of 50 percent on imports of frozen beef, mainly from the US….but from other countries as well, including Canada.  The US and Australia account for 90 percent of all imports of frozen beef, which is mostly used by fast food outlets.  The country’s finance minister said the tariffs will take effect automatically as the volume of the imported US frozen beef exceeded the quota set by law.  Many US farmers had hoped they would see increased beef trade to Japan under deals like the TPP.  But US President Trump withdrew his country’s support for that deal, several months ago.  Canada’s top ag minister Lawrence MacAulay says his department received no warning from Japan prior to this announcement.