VZCZCXRO1681
OO RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKO #0993/01 1190742
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290742Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2648
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO CITY 0605
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5078
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9056
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 3775
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1434
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 6113
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 7577
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 4312
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3510
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4869
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8615
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000993 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHB AMBASSADOR LOFTIS 
DEPT FOR EAP/J, EAP/EX, CA 
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: KFLU AEMR AESC CASC KFLO TBIO KSAF KPAO PREL PINR
AMGT, MG, EAGR, JA 
SUBJECT: MGSF01 APRIL 29 UPDATE ON JAPAN'S RESPONSE TO H1N1 OUTBREAK 
 
REF: A) TOKYO 00965; B) TOKYO 00982 
 
TOKYO 00000993  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This Message is Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: No human cases of swine flu have been reported in 
Japan.  The GOJ has broadened its enhanced health screening of 
inbound passengers to include those arriving from any H1N1 affected 
country.  Under Japan's quarantine law, border officials are 
authorized to detain passengers who refuse to complete health and 
contact information questionnaires.  The stepped-up entry procedures 
caused delays for passengers arriving from the U.S. at Narita 
Airport April 28.  Japanese military doctors and nurses began 
assisting with health screening at Narita Airport April 29.  As the 
country moves into the Golden Week holidays, the Diet's Lower 
House's Steering Committee asked Diet members to refrain from 
international travel and major Japanese companies have announced 
steps to limit international business travel and minimize the 
movement of staff in Mexico.  Some schools and universities have 
also cancelled current and upcoming overseas travel and study 
programs.  Local governments are taking measures to prepare the 
public for the possibility of a pandemic and have set up hotlines to 
direct those with health concerns to appropriate medical facilities. 
 End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) As of April 29, 2009 1600 local time, no human cases of Type 
A H1N1 influenza have been reported in Japan. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Passengers arriving in Japan by air or sea from any 
country affected by the H1N1 virus, including the U.S., are required 
to provide upon arrival information on their health condition and 
contact information in Japan, according to officials at the Ministry 
of Health, labor, and Welfare (MHLW).  Some airport officials said 
they are applying the enhanced screening procedures to all 
international arrivals, as they have not received specific 
instructions from MHLW.  Health Ministry officials added that the 
GOJ's current pandemic alert level, raised to Stage One April 28, 
allows border officials to apply Japan's quarantine law and detain 
any arriving passenger who refuses to comply with the enhanced entry 
procedures. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Media report enhanced screening procedures and limited 
quarantine staff caused delays for passengers April 28 at Narita 
Airport for passengers arriving from the U.S.  Japan's Ground Self 
Defense Force dispatched 10 medical doctors and 20 nurses to Narita 
Airport to assist with on-board inspections, according to press 
reports.  Japanese officials said Narita Airport is using NEC AVIO 
Advanced Thermo TVS-500EX equipment for its thermographic 
screening. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In an April 28 meeting, the Diet's Lower House Steering 
Committee requested Diet members to voluntarily refrain from 
international travel.  Media also reported the Steering Committee 
Chairman cancelled a planned trip to the U.S. for the Golden Week 
holidays.  (Note: Most GOJ offices will be closed May 4-6 for Golden 
Week holidays; today, April 29 is also a Japanese holiday.  End 
Note). 
 
¶6.  (SBU) In an address to the Diet April 28, PM Aso emphasized his 
government is united in efforts to carry out countermeasures at 
airports and provide the public with timely and accurate 
information. 
 
¶7.  (U) Local governments are also taking measures to increase 
awareness and provide information to the public.  The Tokyo 
 
TOKYO 00000993  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Metropolitan Government (TMG) informed the Embassy of a hotline 
available in five languages, including English, for foreigners in 
Japan wishing to obtain information about medical facilities and 
updates on TMG's pandemic preparedness actions.  (Note: Post added 
TMG's information to its Consular website.  End Note).  Fukuoka 
Prefecture has established a 24-hour hotline and counseling services 
at 13 public health centers. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Japanese multinationals have announced actions to limit 
international business travel and minimize the movement of staff in 
Mexico.  Corporate officials at Sharp told emboffs senior executives 
met recently to discuss the H1N1 outbreak and are asking staff in 
Mexico to limit their movements.  Media report other companies have 
gone further.  Toyota and Honda reportedly have directed staff to 
refrain from nonessential international business travel, while Sony 
has temporarily closed its Mexico sales office.  Sanyo has banned 
travel to Mexico for its employees and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 
is asking staff traveling in Mexico to return to Japan. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Keio University announced it cancelled an international 
biosecurity workshop that USG officials planned to attend in May. 
Schools and universities have also announced repatriation of 
students studying overseas and postponed student trips to affected 
countries.  Kumamoto Gakuen University's President called for its 
exchange students in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand to return to 
Japan, according to local press reports. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Kyushu media report local retail outlets are experiencing 
reduced pork sales and are promoting domestic pork despite GOJ 
announcements that pork is safe to consume.  Pork producers in 
southern Kyushu are reported to be concerned about the overall drop 
in pork sales in Japan. 
 
ZUMWALT