The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to test all of the nation's 1 million cows aged 30 months and over for mad cow disease by adopting screening methods used by the European Union, ministry officials said Wednesday.

Health vice minister Jungoro Kondo explains the stricter inspections that will take place to prevent mad cow disease.

The ministry also said it will ask farmers nationwide to suspend shipments of such cows to meat processing plants until the new inspection system gets under way in October.