VZCZCXRO9538
PP RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKO #0965/01 1170747
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270747Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2583
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0601
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5031
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9010
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3721
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1386
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 6059
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 7523
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 4258
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3506
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4828
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8611
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000965 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHB AMBASSADOR LOFTIS 
DEPT FOR EAP/J 
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS FOR BURDETT 
HHS PASS TO CDC 
HHS FOR OGHA 
DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI CASC EAGR JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO SWINE FLU OUTBREAKS 
 
TOKYO 00000965  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This Message is Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
¶1.  Please note action request contained in para. 10. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Summary: No human cases of swine flu have been reported in 
Japan.  The Japanese government, following an emergency meeting 
April 25, established a special working group in the Prime 
Minister's office, issued warnings to Japanese traveling to Mexico, 
and stepped up health screening for travelers returning from Mexico 
at Narita and Kansai international airports.  The GOJ is taking 
further steps to keep the public - in Japan and overseas - informed 
regarding developments in North America and to prepare for a 
possible outbreak here.  The Agriculture Minister has told the press 
the GOJ has no plans to ban pork products given that they go through 
an extremely rigorous sanitization process.  Japan is the world's 
largest pork importer and the number one market for U.S. pork. 
Meeting with the Cabinet April 27, Prime Minister Aso requested 
ministers to do their utmost to protect public safety.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶3.  As of April 27, 2009 1600 local time, no human cases of Type A 
H1N1 influenza (Swine Flu) have been reported in Japan. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In response to the recent swine flu outbreak in North 
America, Prime Minister Taro Aso instructed a GOJ interagency task 
force April 25 to strengthen border control measures to prevent the 
virus from entering Japan.  Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare 
(MHLW) officials confirmed that quarantine officers at Narita and 
Kansai international airports are stepping up thermographic imaging 
and physical monitoring to screen passengers arriving from Mexico. 
The GOJ requested Japan Airlines (JAL) and Aero Mexico, which 
operate direct flights between Mexico and Japan, to cooperate in the 
screening procedures, according to press reports.  Aero Mexico 
officials report quarantine officers are boarding its twice-weekly 
flight from Mexico before allowing passengers to deplane.  The GOJ 
has not requested any increased monitoring of U.S. arrivals beyond 
the general screening conducted by quarantine officers, according to 
MHLW and Japanese Customs officials.  The MHLW has started a 
telephone hotline for returnees from Mexico to report any flu-like 
symptoms during the 10 days after arrival in Japan. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Meeting with his Cabinet April 27, Prime Minister Aso 
requested ministers to do their utmost to ensure public safety. 
According to the statement issued by the PM's Office, ministers 
agreed to take steps to obtain and disseminate accurate information 
on the virus, support overseas Japanese citizens, prevent the virus 
from entering Japan, and prepare for a possible outbreak in Japan. 
The ministers also discussed production of vaccines. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) For outbound travelers, MHLW is distributing leaflets to 
raise awareness of swine flu among Japanese visiting Mexico and the 
U.S. Officials in MOFA's Consular Bureau report the Ministry issued 
a swine flu travel warning and is urging travelers to reconsider 
travel to Mexico. Media report at least one tour company cancelled a 
package tour due to depart for Mexico April 29. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Officials at Japan's Self Defense Force (SDF) report there 
are no discussions of evacuating Japanese citizens from affected 
countries.  (Note: As part of Japan's pandemic action plan, the SDF 
has a role in evacuating Japanese citizens abroad in the event of a 
pandemic.  End Note) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) While media report the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, 
and Fisheries (MAFF) has instructed animal quarantine offices to 
screen imports of live pigs for swine flu, there have been no 
efforts to restrict imports.  Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba 
told the press April 27 the GOJ has no plans to ban pork products 
 
TOKYO 00000965  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
given that they go through an extremely rigorous sanitization 
process.  Commenting on the swine flu outbreak on a television 
program April 26, Ishiba said eating pork poses no danger of getting 
the infection.  (Note: Japan is the world's largest importer of pork 
and the number one market for U.S. pork.  Exports of U.S. pork to 
Japan were $1.5 billion (447,000 metric tons) in 2008.  Unlike beef, 
there are currently no sanitary barriers to U.S. pork in Japan and 
sales are experiencing strong growth.  Mexico is Japan's fourth 
largest supplier of pork with trade worth $233 million in 2008.  End 
Note) 
 
¶9.  Among Japanese companies with significant North American 
operations, Toyota plans to distribute protective masks and hygiene 
instructions to employees in its offices and factories in North 
America, according to press reports.  Sony, Panasonic, and Toshiba 
have not announced any plans to take special actions. 
 
¶10.  Action Request:  Post requests talking points for use with the 
GOJ and media regarding the situation in the U.S. and on USG 
response to the swine flu outbreaks, as well as any guidance for 
American citizens and travelers to the U.S. 
ZUMWALT