VZCZCXRO8988
PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHKO #1529/01 0820923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230923Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0069
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0902
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 5281
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5295
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 7911
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 8428
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 6463
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8211
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001529 
 
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 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI WHO JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT MARCH 23 
 
REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 
 
¶B. TOKYO 1397 AND PREVIOUS 
¶C. 05 TOKYO 6538 
¶D. TOKYO 1112 
 
TOKYO 00001529  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. The following is an update on avian influenza (AI) 
developments in Japan for the period March 16 to March 23. 
No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza were 
reported in Japan during the past week. 
 
-- New Domestic AI Poultry Vaccine Developed -- 
 
¶2. On March 21, a research group from Hokkaido University 
announced that it was successful in developing the first 
domestic avian influenza vaccine for use in chickens. 
After only one injection of the vaccine, the researchers 
found that the level of antibodies in the chickens grew 
exponentially after two weeks.  The group hopes that this 
new vaccine will be more effective and quicker than earlier 
versions.  They also hope that it will offer a back-up 
alternative to the vaccines being currently imported by the 
GOJ from overseas sources. 
 
¶3. The research group used genetic portions from the H5N2 
and H7N1 viruses discovered in Mongolia and created a new 
non-virulent and non-infectious strain of H5N1.  To see if 
the new strain could function as a vaccine, the researchers 
injected it into four-week-old chickens and then looked for 
the presence of proteins specific to the influenza virus. 
They were successful in detecting antibodies.   To further 
test for the new vaccine's efficacy, the group injected two 
populations of chickens with an H5N1 strain detected 
earlier in Yamaguchi Prefecture.  All of the control group 
chickens died within two weeks, and but all of the 
inoculated chickens that received the new vaccine survived. 
Finally, the researchers were able to confirm that enough 
antibodies remained in the chickens six months later to 
protect them from further infection.  The group plans to 
apply for Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
(MAFF) approval for the vaccine later this fall. 
 
-- Interior Lung More Susceptible to AI -- 
 
¶4. A joint research group from Tokyo University's Institute 
for Medical Sciences led by Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka and 
Tottori University discovered that a part of the interior 
lung is particularly susceptible to infection by the avian 
influenza virus.  As a result, the group learned that the 
virus could infect anyone.  Previously, some thought that 
due to individual differences, certain individuals might be 
more predisposed to infection than others.  The group 
learned that a large amount of receptors that allow the 
virus to bind are found in the alveoli.  Because the virus 
multiplies in the interior portions of the lungs where the 
higher body temperatures are more suitable for avian 
influenza replication, the researchers suggested that it 
might be difficult to pass the virus from person to person 
through coughing and sneezing.  The results of the study 
are to be reported in detail in Nature Magazine. 
 
-- "Only Clean Blood, Please" -- 
 
¶5. On March 20, the Mito District Public Prosecutor's 
Office brought charges against two employees of the IKN Egg 
Farm Company and three veterinarians involved in the 
tampering of avian influenza related poultry tests in 
Ibaraki Prefecture.  The court decided to suspend 
sentencing for two of the employees who are charged with 
complicity in obstructing the prefecture's investigations. 
However, authorities rearrested all five employees again on 
the same day on suspicion that they were in breach of their 
duty to report outbreaks of infectious diseases in poultry 
to authorities under the Domestic Animal Infectious 
Diseases Control Law.  During the prosecution, authorities 
learned that the company's former chairman had ordered his 
employees to "provide only clean blood" for the 
 
TOKYO 00001529  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
inspections.  (For details on the case see reftels C and 
D). 
 
SCHIEFFER