UNCLAS TOKYO 001265

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 9

REF: A. 05 STATE 153802


B. TOKYO 1112 AND PREVIOUS


1. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza
(AI) were reported in Japan during the past week.

-- LPAI Stricken Ibaraki Prefecture to Further Strengthen
its Outbreak Prevention Measures --


2. On March 7, Ibaraki Prefecture authorities announced
that they would strengthen measures to prevent outbreaks of
avian influenza and increase the number of inspections at
poultry farms starting from JFY2006. During the last
fiscal year, the prefecture only targeted poultry farms
with more than 1,000 birds for inspections. Officials
conducted antibody and viral tests on ten birds from each
of those farms. Now, they will examine ten birds from each
poultry house located at the farms, significantly
increasing the number of tests conducted at each facility.
The government also will increase the number of poultry
farms at which monthly monitoring for viruses are conducted
from 12 to 40.

-- Preventing Port Calls to Prevent AI --


3. On March 6, in preparation for a possible outbreak of
pandemic influenza, the Niigata Prefectural Government
submitted a bill to the Prefectural Assembly to amend its
port administration regulations. The amendment will enable
the Niigata government to refuse port calls for vessels
coming from affected areas. The purpose of the amendment
is to prevent ships from bringing serious infectious
diseases such as the plague, SARS and AI to the area.
Niigata will obtain outbreak information through the WHO,
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) and the
National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) to help
make their decision. In the case a refusal is warranted,
the prefecture will notify the vessel in question when it
submits an application to make a port call. The new
regulation would take effect immediately after the Assembly
closes for the current session that ends on March 23,
should it be approved. EST FSN confirmed with the
prefectural government that it is seeking the amendment.

-AI Concerns Increasing Demand for Locally Bred Chickens-


4. Japan's largest chicken incubator Goto Furan-Jo in Gifu
Prefecture is planning to increase production capacity
because consumer demand for locally produced chickens is
rising due to avian influenza concerns. Most of the
chickens sold currently in the Japanese domestic market --
either for meat or laying eggs -- come primarily from
overseas. In addition, most of the chickens raised in
Japan also originate from outside the country. However,
because there is the potential threat of import
restrictions on foreign-bred chickens, the company decided
that it would increase its capacity to produce the chickens
domestically. Only seven percent of the layer chickens in
Japan originate in the country. Goto Furan-Jo produces
around six percent of this total. The company currently
has two production farms in Gifu and Fukuoka Prefectures
with about 200 employees total. It plans to build two new
window-less houses and will upgrade its facilities over the
next year.

SCHIEFFER