MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Japan renews ban on US beef fearing BSE

Japan renewed the ban on United States beef imports following the discovery of outlawed spinal material, which has been scientifically linked to Spongiform Bovine Encephalitis, or “mad cow” in a shipment of veal from New York.

United States Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick currently in Tokyo admitted the situation and said it was an "unacceptable mistake".

The discovery was made during a routine sanitary and customs check in Narita airport, Tokyo, reported a Japanese Agriculture Department officer.

The Japanese decision comes months alter a two year embargo on US and Canadian beef import, following fears of BSE.

Tokyo's partial ban lifting referred to cows aged 20 months or younger as long as parts thought to have a higher risk of carrying BSE - such as brains, spines and bone marrow - were removed. BSE was reported in US cattle at the end of 2003.

Following an hour-long meeting with Mr Zoellick, Japan's agriculture minister Shoichi Nakagawa told reporters he had called on the US to make stronger efforts to ensure conditions on imports were not violated again.

"The US has a commitment to Japan regarding beef exports and that is a commitment that we take seriously," a US Embassy official quoted Mr Zoellick as saying. He also revealed that the US Department of Agriculture has launched an investigation and removed the company involved from its export programme.

Japan is one of the main markets for US beef totalling an estimated 1.4 billion US dollars annually.