April 7, 2005

Japan may revise standard of mad cow tests

Cows that are 20 months or younger were not susceptible to the fatal mad cow disease, said Japan's Food Safety Commission. This raises the possibility that calves younger than 21 months could be excluded from Japan's ban on US beef.

Washington has been pushing Tokyo to drop the ban, but Japanese officials have insisted all imported beef come from animals tested for the disease.

Following the commission's ruling, the health and agriculture ministries may consider revising previous standards, allowing discussions between Japan and the US to re-start.