March 8, 2004

Japan Lifts Import Ban On Canada Poultry

Japan will lift its import ban on live birds, chicken and other poultry meat from Canada except British Columbia, where a bird flu virus was found last month, the farm ministry said Friday, Kyodo News agency reported.
 
The decision to partially lift the ban follows confirmation that the bird flu virus in the western Canadian province is only mildly toxic, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
 
The ministry introduced the ban Feb. 20 immediately after the Canadian government confirmed the discovery of the H7 strain of avian influenza in British Columbia, Kyodo reported.