April 15, 2008

Japan suspends poultry imports from Germany
 

Japan has suspended imports of live day-old chicks, poultry meat and eggs for processing from Germany after a pet goose in the European country was tested positive for H5N1, said a ministry official on Monday.

The measure was imposed after the German Embassy issued a notice of a non-wild bird case, said the Japanese official.

Meanwhile, the German authorities have culled about 1,200 farm and pet birds over the weekend after the pet goose was tested H5N1 positive.

Japan imported a total of 114,250 birds in 2007, and 9 tonnes of poultry meat and 1,019 tonnes of eggs for processing from Germany in 2006.