August 1, 2005

Japan drops mandatory blanket testing for BSE
 

Japan has dropped its mandatory blanket testing policy on all cattle for BSE, or mad cow disease, after the country's Food Safety Commission (FSC) approved the government's decision. The government had reportedly done so under pressure from the US regarding resumption of US beef imports.

Now, only mandatory checks would be conducted on cattle that were 21 months or older.

Japan began its blanket testing policy for BSE in October 2001, after it discovered its own case of mad cow disease, to allay domestic concerns and revive beef sales.

However, the government said blanket testing would continue in Japan as all local authorities have decided to keep checking all cattle born in their region, to reassure consumers about the safety of local beef.

The tests would also be fully subsidised by the central government for a maximum of three years.

So far, the Japanese government has maintained that US-Japan beef trade could not resume until the FSC declared US beef safe, after conducting its own risk assessments.