According to the officials, the woman, who had fed three cats outdoors, was rushed to hospital by an ambulance for having trouble breathing in May 2016 and died on the third day. The bacteria were detected in her blood and body fluid.
Initial symptoms of the infectious disease are similar to those of a cold, such as sneezing. Animals also display skin diseases. The ministry has confirmed 25 cases of human infections with C. ulcerans across the country since 2001, including the fatal one. In most of the cases, the bacteria were transmitted from dogs and cats. But domestic animals may be sources of infection, the officials said.
No human-to-human infections have been confirmed in the country, they added.
The ministry calls on people to thoroughly wash their hands after touching animals showing cold-like symptoms or having skin diseases.
News On Japan - Nov 26
Panicked passengers on a Shinkansen bullet train were evacuated at a central Japan station on Friday night, after a plastic bag containing suspicious liquid was found onboard.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Nissan Motor Corporation has announced plans to transition all its vehicles produced in the United Kingdom to electric vehicles (EVs).
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.
News On Japan - Nov 25
The strongest cold snap of the season has brought a dramatic drop in temperatures to northern Japan, where snow began falling Friday morning, with up to 50 cm expected in Hokkaido and Tohoku by Saturday evening, and a chance of blizzards.
News On Japan - Nov 24
It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.