June 27, 2007

Japan partially lifts import ban on UK poultry
 

Japan has partially lifted a ban on poultry imports from Britain, the country's Farm Ministry said Tuesday (Jun 26).

Japan imposed the ban after an outbreak of bird flu in February.

The ministry said it would allow poultry imports from Britain to resume, except those from  Merseyside in Northwest England and Conwy in North Wales.

The decision was made after the department received assurances from the British government that all necessary cleansing measures had been completed in Suffolk, where bird flu broke out in February.

The case was the first outbreak of the highly pathogenic strain of bird flu in domestic poultry in Britain.

A milder form of bird flu was later reported in Conwy and Merseyside.