Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is said to be mulling setting up a few food safety agency by merging the divisions of the farm and health ministries which are currently attempting to combat mad cow disease.


The move comes in response to a factfinding mission to Europe last month, during the course of which ministers learned that several EU governments have responded to the string of food safety crises of latter years by reorganising their ministries and agencies.


A panel set up by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to study the administrative problems that led to the spread of the mad cow disease is also recommending a new food safety agency.