Nippon Meat Packers fraud includes another 3.7 tons of mislabeled beef

Japan's largest ham and sausage maker has deliberately mislabeled more imported beef as domestic product in order to benefit from the government buyback program which was set up to compensate farmers for damage from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease scare.

Nippon Meat Packers Inc. has found that its subsidiary Nippon Food"s Ehime sales unit mislabeled 3.7 tons of imported beef in addition to the already reported 1.3 tons as domestic product.

Reporters at a press conference on August 20 asked Nippon Meat President Okoso Hiroji, "How can Nippon Meat restore public trust after these latest developments?"

Akahata on August 21 said that the latest revelation of the mislabeling of 3.7 tons of beef shows that Nippon Meat's "apologies" since its fraud was first revealed are just for show.

It stated that the company's responsibility is very grave because the industry leader has committed the fraud to get tax money and tried to evade criticism and put an end to the question by getting thechairman to resign.

Akahata also pointed out the responsibility of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry, which overlooked the mislabeling even after an on-the-spot inspection, and said that all unsolved problems must be examined, including the close relationship between the meat industry and the ministry, and the pressure of Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers on administration. (end)