Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday he will seek enactment of a new basic food safety law next year in a bid to erase widespread public distrust stemming from the government's failure to keep mad cow disease out of Japan.
In the day's meeting of Cabinet ministers related to food safety, Koizumi also pledged to set up an independent commission of experts to oversee food safety.
According to a government statement, Jin Murai, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, will plan and prepare for the establishment of the new commission.