Japan confirms first BSE case

A test has shown that a Japanese animal slaughtered in August carried BSE, confirming the first known case of the deadly brain-wasting illness in Asia.

The Japanese Government had announced last week that the five-year-old dairy cow in central Japan might have suffered from the sickness and sent a tissue sample to experts in Britain for a conclusive diagnosis.

The results came back late yesterday.

It is still unknown how the cow contracted the disease, though investigators are focusing on animal feed as the likely cause, said Kazuki Ikeda, an official at the ministry’s animal health division.

The Ministry of Agriculture was considering a recommendation by a task force of experts to swiftly prohibit imports of feed containing meat and bone, said Ikeda.

Officials have been scrambling to reassure Japanese consumers and persuade other countries, including the United States and several Asian nations, to drop bans imposed on Japanese meat after last week’s announcement.

Worries over food safety have taken a toll on Japan’s meat industry.