Farm minister Shoichi Nakagawa speaks at the Lower House Budget Committee on Feb. 15.

But the findings and additional preventive measures in the investigation report leave one big question: How could this have happened only a month after Japan lifted a two-year-old ban imposed on U.S. beef due to fears of mad cow disease?

The report suggests an underlying perception gap over food safety between the two nations -- especially for worried Japanese consumers -- as it does not address re-examining the overall safety inspection process, instead calling the incident a "unique" case.

At issue is spinal cord material discovered in a veal shipment at Narita airport. The finding prompted Japan on Jan. 20 to reimpose its import ban on U.S. beef.

In its report released Feb. 17, the USDA admits a flaw in the inspection system, saying that the incident was "unacceptable" for failing to comply with the agreement with Japan to remove specified risk materials before shipment.

The USDA Office of the Inspector General said in an audit report attached to the documents that its investigators found that the USDA's compliance enforcement "broke down" due to insufficient communications with field inspectors as well as a failure to establish specific management and supervisory controls.

Soon after the report was released, U.S. lawmakers and meat industry leaders urged Japan to resume imports and stressed that the unique case had no health risk.

Farm minister Shoichi Nakagawa said Feb. 20 that he reported to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi that the report was insufficient and he would urge the United States to provide more explanation on the handling of U.S. beef exports to Japan.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 25, 2006
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