AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MAY 25

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002907 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE DEPT FOR OES/IHA SINGER AND FENDRICK DEPT FOR EAP/J USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO JA SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MAY 25 REF: (A) 05 STATE 153802; (B) TOKYO 2572; (C) TOKYO 2719 AND PREVIOUS TOKYO 00002907 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. The following is an update of avian influenza (AI) developments in Japan for the period May 17-25. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza were reported in Japan during this period. Details on Draft Guidelines on Japan's ASEAN Tamiflu/PPE Stockpile -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Government of Japan is currently negotiating draft guidelines with the World Health Organization (WHO) and ASEAN Secretariat for the use and deployment of the stockpile of Tamiflu and personal protective equipment (PPE) that Tokyo has set aside for early avian influenza containment efforts under the umbrella of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF). (For further details see ref C.) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau provided a copy of the draft guidelines to Embassy via email on May 22, which has been passed to EAP/J. Though the guidelines remain in a draft form and may be later amended as a result of Tokyo's discussions with ASEAN and the WHO, preliminary details are summarized below: ¶3. (SBU) Five hundred thousand courses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu and personal protective equipment (PPE) -- including influenza test kits, protective gowns, masks, gloves, and antiseptic solution -- for 700,000 people will be stockpiled in Singapore for use in early containment efforts during an outbreak of pandemic influenza in the ASEAN region. The draft guidelines specify that all of the Tamiflu courses will be procured in Japan. Up to 500,000 additional courses of Tamiflu may be procured depending on the availability of the antiviral drug. These additional Tamiflu courses will be allocated to ASEAN member countries for each government's stockpile at the discretion of ASEAN in close consultation with the WHO and the government of Japan. ¶4. (SBU) The guidelines state that the GOJ expects the entire Tamiflu stockpile will be used as one unit to contain the first major outbreak of pandemic influenza in the ASEAN region. They note that the stockpile should not, in principle, be divided and allocated to multiple ASEAN member countries. The JAIF stockpile is designed to facilitate immediate distribution of the Tamiflu to affected areas until the arrival of WHO supplies from outside of the ASEAN region. ¶5. (SBU) Regarding the timely mobilization of the drugs, the guidelines state that the ASEAN Secretariat is authorized in advance by the government of each ASEAN member country and the GOJ to follow guidance from the WHO on the delivery of the Tamiflu stockpile. Within 12 hours of receiving WHO guidance, the ASEAN Secretariat will begin procedures to arrange for the transfer of the Tamiflu stockpile to the target country or countries. Within 24 hours of receiving the instructions from the ASEAN Secretariat, the Tamiflu stockpile will be transferred by SIPDIS the shipping agent to an airport/facility in or close to the target country or countries designated by the concerned government(s) or WHO. ¶6. (SBU) The draft guidelines also contain a clause that would allow the stockpile to be used in non-ASEAN countries. If an outbreak of possible pandemic influenza occurs in a neighboring non-ASEAN region that threatens to spread the disease to the ASEAN region, the government of Japan, the governments of ASEAN member countries, and the ASEAN Secretariat, may respond to a request by the WHO to transfer the Tamiflu stockpile to the neighboring non-ASEAN TOKYO 00002907 002.2 OF 002 region. ¶7. (SBU) Regarding the stockpile of personal protective equipment, the draft guidelines note that some portion of the PPE may be distributed to ASEAN member countries in advance of an outbreak if the ASEAN side makes such a decision. ASEAN member countries and the government of Japan, in consultation with the WHO, will decide on the amount of PPE to be distributed in advance. ¶8. (SBU) Finally, the guidelines state that the government of the target country will be responsible for the cost of the transfer of the Tamiflu stockpile from the designated airport/facility to the target areas. In order to ensure rapid distribution of the Tamiflu/PPE stockpiles to target areas, the guidelines require that the government of each ASEAN member country establish in advance a set of comprehensive measures that will help facilitate immediate customs clearance for the Tamiflu/PPE stockpiles and provide for a waiver of import taxes on these goods. The government of each ASEAN member country will also establish a logistical support plan to ensure expeditious delivery of the Tamiflu/PPE stockpiles from the designated airport/facility to the affected areas. Ibaraki Poultry Farms Call For Safety Declaration -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) On May 18, 20 representatives from eight poultry farms in Ibaraki Prefecture visited the Ibaraki Government to request that it issue a declaration of safety on the outbreaks of avian influenza in the prefecture. The representatives submitted a petition to Governor Masaru Hashimoto and called for the declaration in order to "prevent harmful rumors from spreading". In April, the prefecture announced that it completed culling all 5.68 million chickens that were infected with avian influenza or were under surveillance for the disease. After the culling, the prefecture did not issue a declaration of safety because eggs were already being sent to the market and to date have been safe to consume, while there was still a risk that outbreaks could occur again given that similar outbreaks of avian influenza abroad have persisted over time. SCHIEFFER