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An “outbreak” of mad cow disease in Japan has so far cost the country
$500 million per infected cow, or $1.5 billion in total (200
billion yen). Despite only three confirmed cases, the country’s farmers and food
outlets are racking up huge losses, says the agriculture minister, Tsutomu
Takebe. Butchers’ shops hit by consumer panic accounted for almost half the
losses, with the remainder split between farmers and Korean barbecue
restaurants. The government has softened the farmers’ losses with subsidies.
Japan’s first confirmed BSE case was in September, and two cows have tested
positive since.