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
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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

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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
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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