JAPAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE

UNCLAS TOKYO 001071 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE DEPT FOR EAP/J AND OES/IHA USDA PASS TO APHIS HHS PASS TO CDC HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER AND HICKEY DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU TBIO KSTH ECON PREL SOCI CASC JA SUBJECT: JAPAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶1. (U) No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 Avian Influenza (AI) were reported in Japan during the period from April 1 to April 17. GOJ Responds to South Korean Bird Flu Outbreak -------------- - ¶2. (SBU) In response to the current H5N1 AI outbreak in South Korea, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) instructed quarantine stations at Japanese ports of entry to sterilize the shoes of passengers arriving from that country, according to an April 7 statement. The MAFF had suspended imports of South Korean poultry products in November 2007 after an earlier AI outbreak was reported. Japanese media report local governments in Miyazaki, Yamaguchi, and Tokushima prefectures have organized crisis management meetings and are bolstering AI prevention systems in response to the South Korean outbreak. Ministry of Environment officials told embassy officers there has been no increase in mortality among wild bird populations in Japan since the outbreak in Korea began. MHLW to Test Bird Flu Vaccine on First Responders -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) An expert panel approved the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare's (MHLW) plan to begin H5N1 influenza vaccinations of 6,000 volunteers in the summer of 2008, according to MHLW officials. The volunteers will be selected from first responders such as quarantine officers and health professionals. The MHLW expects results in March 2009 to determine the pre-pandemic vaccine's effectiveness against multiple strains of influenza, the duration of immunity, and the necessity of a second vaccination. Ministry officials confirmed press reports that MHLW would consider vaccinating a broader population of up to 10 million, including essential government personnel, if the vaccine proves effective. The GOJ's Inter-ministerial Avian Influenza Committee will consider the results in a future review of the government's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Action Plan. Press reports also indicate the GOJ plans to improve domestic cell-culture vaccine production methods to reduce vaccine production time to six months from the 18 months required using the current egg-based production method. GOJ Considers Border Measures for WHO Phase 4 -------------- ¶4. (U) A GOJ interagency team has drafted revised border measures to be implemented if the WHO declares a phase 4 pandemic alert, according to recent press reports. (Note: The WHO's pandemic alert index is currently at phase 3. End Note). The Draft measures include restricting entry into Japan for infected Japanese citizens residing abroad and limiting international entry points to just four airports and three seaports. The GOJ will consider the draft measures for its Action Plan by July 2008 after a review by medical experts, local governments, and airlines. SCHIEFFER