VZCZCXRO4036
PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHPB
DE RUEHKO #1843 0960753
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060753Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0603
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 5550
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 5545
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 8179
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 8707
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 6728
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8221
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 001843 
 
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 APRIL 6 
 
REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 
 
¶B. TOKYO 1693 AND PREVIOUS 
¶C. TOKYO 295 
¶D. TOKYO 163 
 
¶1. The following is an update on avian influenza (AI) 
developments in Japan for the period March 30 to April 6. 
No human or animal outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza were 
reported in Japan during the past week. 
 
-- Ibaraki Governor: "MHLW is Irresponsible" -- 
 
¶2. On April 4, Ibaraki Governor Masaru Hashimoto criticized 
the central government's response to the potential 
infection of more than 70 individuals in the Prefecture 
with the H5N2 avian influenza virus, as reported earlier in 
refs C and D.  The Governor said that the Ministry of 
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) should have been more 
"alarmed" by the findings, and should have taken concrete 
actions rather than simply announcing the results of its 
earlier tests that detected the presence of H5N2 antibodies 
in the individuals.  Hashimoto said that Ibaraki Prefecture 
would have to take actions of its own, because MHLW was 
"irresponsible." 
Q3. MHLW and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases 
(NIID) conducted tests on more than 300 individuals who 
were employed at poultry farms or were involved in the 
culling of chickens infected with the low pathogenic strain 
of avian influenza.  As a result of the investigation, the 
central government announced in January that more than 70 
individuals had tested positive for H5N2 antibodies.  The 
Prefecture claimed that because the testing methods used 
were unproven (or pending) and that individuals with no 
known contact with infected poultry also tested positive 
for the antibodies, a second round of tests using a 
different methodology was needed. 
 
¶4. The Prefectural government has decided to conduct its 
own tests starting in mid-May, and will use viral samples 
provided by the National Institute of Agriculture located 
in Tsukuba City.  The tests will be conducted on 
individuals who were not associated with the infected 
areas.  In order to establish an appropriate epidemiologic 
case definition (antibody titers), Ibaraki will test a 
total of 100 residents (50 from urban areas and 50 from 
rural areas) who were not connected with the poultry farms. 
They will use the titer as criteria for positivity. 
 
-- Stinky Natto May be Healthier Than You Think -- 
 
¶5. A joint research team from the Yamasa Corporation, a soy 
source maker, and the University of Shizuoka has announced 
that it has successfully developed a new method to easily 
detect signs that mutations have occurred in the avian 
influenza virus that could potentially lead to a pandemic 
strain.  The team led by Professor Takashi Suzuki fixed 
portions of human and animal cells on test plates using the 
sticky components of fermented soybeans (or natto) to 
examine mutations in the virus.  Suzuki claims that the new 
detection method is more sensitive than currently existing 
ones.  An animal health institute in Thailand has started 
using this method to monitor changes in the avian flu virus 
on a trial basis.  (Note: Natto is a popular Japanese side 
dish made of sticky fermented soybeans that has a very 
pungent smell, often offensive to the uninitiated.  End 
note). 
 
SCHIEFFER