Minoru Tanaka, president of Tomakomai-based Meathope Co., and other executives made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday.

It has also emerged that in response to a tip, the Tomakomai municipal health center inspected the company five years ago and last year under the Food Sanitation Law. The prefectural government also raided the firm in March and May this year.

Since the inspections failed to uncover any wrongdoing, local government officials suspect that the company skillfully concealed its mislabeling and the mixing of pork with minced beef.

Source: msn News