WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. government on Friday explained why a shipment of prohibited veal cuts had been sent to Japan last month, in an effort to lift a suspension on American beef imposed by the Asian country.

    In a 475-page report, the government said that veal plant workers and a government inspector misunderstood new trade rules when they shipped prohibited veal to Japan.

    "This was not a situation where somebody was trying to hide something," Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns told reporters on a conference call.

    "Quite the opposite happened. It very clearly indicates they were just not connecting as to what could be shipped into the Japanese market," he said.

    Japan, once the biggest market of American beef and meat products, imposed a ban on American beef soon after the United States found its first case of mad cow disease in December 2003. The ban was lifted in December 2005. As a condition for resuming imports, Japan had imposed several restrictions -- beef must come from cattle younger than 21 months of age, and tissues that can carry mad cow disease, such as the backbone, brain, skull, eyes and other nerve tissue, must be removed.

    As backbone was found in the veal cuts shipped from the United States, Japan suspended imports on Jan. 20 once again. The shipment was sent by New York-based Atlantic Veal & Lamb. The plant and its supplier, Ohio-based Golden Veal Corp., were certified to ship to Japan on Jan. 6 and were the first two companies allowed to send veal to Japan. Their certifications have been rescinded by the Agriculture Department. Enditem