As a country with a growing dependence on imported food, Japan is alleged to have requested that the European Commission withhold a report predicting a risk that BSE will develop in the area. The EC claimed that the chances of the disease developing are enhanced because Japan imported potentially BSE contaminated meat and bone meal products from Britain until 1996.
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The commission has studied the potential risk of BSE developing in countries outside its 15 member states and Katsuaki Sugiura, a spokesman for the hygiene division of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, revealed to the New York Times that Japan had originally sought assessment by the commission.
Upon being informed of the steering committee’s conclusions however, Japan commented that it would prefer to undergo an evaluation by the World Organization for Animal Health, or another international agency the Office International des Epizooties.
