AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT JULY 21

UNCLAS TOKYO 004089 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 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT JULY 21 REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 ¶B. TOKYO 3953 AND PREVIOUS ¶C. 05 TOKYO 3018 ¶1. The following is an update on avian influenza (AI) developments in Japan during the period July 14 to 21. No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza were reported in Japan during the above period. ¶2. The University of Tokyo's Institute of Medical Sciences has begun collaborative work on infectious diseases with two research institutes in China. The Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Biophysics (Beijing) and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Harbin Veterinary Research Institute will cooperate with researchers from the University of Tokyo on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza and AIDS. In addition, the Japanese and Chinese researchers plan to work closely together when outbreaks of previously unknown diseases such as SARS are detected. The cooperation will be conducted under the auspices of MEXT's Infectious Diseases Research Network program. (For further details see ref C). ¶3. The University of Tokyo will establish a joint research facility at the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Microbiology. Future plans also include a joint research laboratory at the Institute of Biophysics. Several Japanese researchers will be based at the two facilities, and the Japanese side will provide most of the equipment. The researchers hope to develop a relationship of trust that will allow the two countries to further develop joint cooperative research. ¶4. On July 17, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced that it has lifted all remaining import bans on French chicken products that were imposed on February 24 due to outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in France. SCHIEFFER