U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said Monday it was "an unacceptable mistake" that a shipment of U.S. beef that arrived in Japan contained bone parts in violation of an accord on preventing mad cow disease, prompting Tokyo to once again ban American beef.
In a meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, Zoellick expressed "profound regret for this failure," a Foreign Ministry official said in briefing reporters.
After meeting with Zoellick, Abe told reporters the U.S. needs to report the results of its investigation and take measures to prevent a recurrence if it wants Japan to lift the ban again.