Japan lifts temporary chicken meat suspension - JAPAN - Lifting of the temporary suspension on the import of chicken meat and their products from the People's Republic of China.

The import of poultry and their products from the People's Republic of China (PRC) was suspended as of 12 May 2003, because the Japanese Animal Quarantine Office isolated and identified highly pathogenic avian influenza (subtype H5) from duck meat imported from the PRC.

MAFF confirmed that over 90 days had passed since the last outbreak of avian influenza and appropriate sanitary measures had been taken in the PRC according to information received from the animal health authority of the PRC, so MAFF decided to lift the import suspension of chicken meat and their products from the PRC and informed the relevant authorities of this decision on 19 August 2003.

The lifting of the temporary suspension applies only to chicken meat and their products derived from chickens that were slaughtered on and after 17 August 2003.

Source: The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan - 29th August 2003