Japan, the world's largest buyer of American beef, is one of 30 nations that halted imports after a single cow in Washington state tested positive last month for the brain-wasting disease also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. New testing measures announced by the U.S. government last month have been dismissed by Japan as insufficient to ensure consumer safety.

Japan has said it wants the United States to adopt safeguards similar to those implemented here after an outbreak of mad cow disease two years ago.

Japan began testing every slaughtered cow for mad cow disease after suffering its first case in 2001. Japanese officials say such tests were vital in detecting the disease last year in two bulls younger than 30 months old. European officials said they have found three infected cows younger than 30 months since 2001.

U.S. officials say blanket testing wouldn't significantly improve the safety of the beef supply. Only a fraction of the estimated 35 million cows killed for human consumption in the United States are tested for the disease under present rules.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 31, 2004
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