The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Nov. 21 that it has discovered a Second case of mad cow disease in its ongoing inspections. A panel of experts convened by the ministry formally confirmed the case later the same day.
The cow was found at a meat inspection center in Sarufutsu, Hokkaido, the ministry said
The cow had not shown any neurological symptoms peculiar to the disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
None of the meat, internal organs or any other part of the cow has been shipped, officials said.
The farm ministry said it has started tracing all cows shipped by the Hokkaido farmer and ordered the farm not to ship any of the 77 cows it currently owns.
On Sept. 22, the agriculture ministry confirmed Japan's first case of the deadly disease — the first outside Europe. On Oct. 18, the health ministry began a nationwide screening of all cows used for human consumption
Mad cow disease has been linked to the deaths of more than 100 people in Europe.