OSAKA -- USJ Co., which runs the Universal Studios Japan theme park, provided food items with old expiration dates to all 21 restaurants in the facility from June 2001 to February, USJ officials said Thursday.

The officials said that 2 tons of expired food had been cooked during the period and that roughly 44 kinds had been kept as long as nine months beyond their expiration dates. The items were mostly frozen, kept frozen or dried, they added.

Takuo Ishizuka, the theme park's master chef, said that in June 2001 he and the quality control manager of the catering section decided to extend the expiration dates after confirming the safety and taste of the food in question.