The country’s health ministry said that the decision followed an investigation last year, which revealed that cow’s livers carried the O-157 strain of E.coli bacteria and were more likely to cause food poisoning than raw beef.
Raw beef was linked to five deaths and 180 cases of food poisoning at a “yakiniku” barbecue restaurant in Japan last April. Investigators said the outbreak was caused by the failure to trim the beef correctly, which left dangerous bacteria on the dishes.
Ministers announced tough penalties for violation of the ban, including two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥2m (£16,174).