January 16, 2004

Japan Suspends Taiwanese Poultry Imports

Japan has ordered suspension of live chicken, chicken meat and egg imports from Taiwan due to bird flu concerns, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said Friday.

Japan imports about 4,000 tons of bird meat, including chicken, each year from Taiwan, accounting for about 2% of overall bird meat imports, according to the ministry.

After outbreaks of bird flu in various parts of the world the past several years, Japan has suspended imports of chickens and chicken meat and eggs from South Korea, Vietnam, Macao, Hong Kong and Italy, the ministry said.