Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO1112
2006-03-02 06:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MARCH 2
how-toVZCZCXRO4647 PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB DE RUEHKO #1112 0610656 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 020656Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9243 INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 4904 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 4952 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 7540 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 8007 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 6094 RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8200 RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 001112
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/IHA POWELL, SINGER AND FENDRICK
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MARCH 2
REF: A. 05 STATE 153802
B. TOKYO 958 AND PREVIOUS
UNCLAS TOKYO 001112
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/IHA POWELL, SINGER AND FENDRICK
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MARCH 2
REF: A. 05 STATE 153802
B. TOKYO 958 AND PREVIOUS
1. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza
(AI) were reported in Japan during the past week.
-- Doesn't Pay to Cheat on the AI Test: Police Arrest
Ibaraki Chicken Swappers --
2. On February 27, prefectural police arrested four
veterinarians and employees of the IKN Egg Farm Company on
charges that they violated the Domestic Animal Infectious
Diseases Control Law, which requires the reporting of any
suspected outbreaks of contagious diseases in poultry to
health authorities. The four IKN employees allegedly
failed to report a case of suspected avian influenza
infection to the Ibaraki Prefecture government last August.
(This case was first reported in 05 Tokyo 6538). The
veterinarians are also suspected of obstructing an avian
influenza test conducted by the Prefecture at three of
their farms by substituting samples taken from birds at
other poultry farms.
-- No More Chicken Guts from France...for now --
3. On February 24, in response to the recent outbreak of
avian influenza in France, the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced that it was
instituting a ban on the importation of French poultry meat
and guts including foie gras (fatty liver). Canned and
pouch-packed products are not targeted by the ban if
authorities can confirm that they were appropriately heat-
processed. On February 27, MAFF Vice Minister Aoi Ishihara
said that his ministry would discuss the conditions for the
heat processing of other poultry products with the
government of France if Paris were to request such a
discussion. Japan imported 1,510 tons of poultry meat and
377 tons of poultry guts from France in 2005.
-- Tamiflu from Petroleum: Tokyo U. Team Successful in
Developing New Formula --
4. A research team at Tokyo University led by Professor
Masakatsu Shibasaki has successfully developed a formula to
produce oseltamivir phosphate (commonly known as Tamiflu)
by using a petrochemical compound instead of the plant-
based ingredient currently used for the production of the
antiviral drug. The researchers hope the new method will
help ensure a stable supply of Tamiflu, especially in light
of surging demand worldwide. The antiviral is currently
synthesized from shikimic acid, which is extracted from the
seeds of the star anise plant. The team successfully
produced Tamiflu by using 1,4 cyclohexadiene, which is a
compound that can be produced from benzene at a low cost.
The team believes that Shibasaki's novel formula will give
researchers a larger toolkit they can use to further
develop new antiviral drugs in case a Tamiflu-resistant
strain emerges in the future. Tokyo University applied for
a patent on the formula on February 23, but because Roche
holds the license to manufacture Tamiflu, Shibasaki's group
will hold talks with the Swiss drug manufacturer.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/IHA POWELL, SINGER AND FENDRICK
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MARCH 2
REF: A. 05 STATE 153802
B. TOKYO 958 AND PREVIOUS
1. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza
(AI) were reported in Japan during the past week.
-- Doesn't Pay to Cheat on the AI Test: Police Arrest
Ibaraki Chicken Swappers --
2. On February 27, prefectural police arrested four
veterinarians and employees of the IKN Egg Farm Company on
charges that they violated the Domestic Animal Infectious
Diseases Control Law, which requires the reporting of any
suspected outbreaks of contagious diseases in poultry to
health authorities. The four IKN employees allegedly
failed to report a case of suspected avian influenza
infection to the Ibaraki Prefecture government last August.
(This case was first reported in 05 Tokyo 6538). The
veterinarians are also suspected of obstructing an avian
influenza test conducted by the Prefecture at three of
their farms by substituting samples taken from birds at
other poultry farms.
-- No More Chicken Guts from France...for now --
3. On February 24, in response to the recent outbreak of
avian influenza in France, the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced that it was
instituting a ban on the importation of French poultry meat
and guts including foie gras (fatty liver). Canned and
pouch-packed products are not targeted by the ban if
authorities can confirm that they were appropriately heat-
processed. On February 27, MAFF Vice Minister Aoi Ishihara
said that his ministry would discuss the conditions for the
heat processing of other poultry products with the
government of France if Paris were to request such a
discussion. Japan imported 1,510 tons of poultry meat and
377 tons of poultry guts from France in 2005.
-- Tamiflu from Petroleum: Tokyo U. Team Successful in
Developing New Formula --
4. A research team at Tokyo University led by Professor
Masakatsu Shibasaki has successfully developed a formula to
produce oseltamivir phosphate (commonly known as Tamiflu)
by using a petrochemical compound instead of the plant-
based ingredient currently used for the production of the
antiviral drug. The researchers hope the new method will
help ensure a stable supply of Tamiflu, especially in light
of surging demand worldwide. The antiviral is currently
synthesized from shikimic acid, which is extracted from the
seeds of the star anise plant. The team successfully
produced Tamiflu by using 1,4 cyclohexadiene, which is a
compound that can be produced from benzene at a low cost.
The team believes that Shibasaki's novel formula will give
researchers a larger toolkit they can use to further
develop new antiviral drugs in case a Tamiflu-resistant
strain emerges in the future. Tokyo University applied for
a patent on the formula on February 23, but because Roche
holds the license to manufacture Tamiflu, Shibasaki's group
will hold talks with the Swiss drug manufacturer.
SCHIEFFER