Japan's Agriculture and Forestry Aquaculture Ministry said on October 22 that genetic testing confirmed that a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak occurred in a poultry farm in Hokkaido.This is the first outbreak in Japan since the avian influenza outbreak season.

A communiqué issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the same day said that relevant departments in Hokkaido received a report on the 21st from a farm in Shirao Town that the number of chickens it raised increased, and subsequent simple test results for avian influenza were positive. Genetic testing results on the 22nd confirmed that chickens on this farm were infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. This farm raises a total of approximately 459,000 laying hens.

Every year from autumn to spring is the bird flu epidemic season in Japan. A communiqué issued by the local government in Hokkaido on 22 said that local measures have begun, including killing all the chickens at the farm, and taking different degrees of restrictions on poultry from several other farms within the 3 to 10 km radius of the farm, etc. In addition, Hokkaido's relevant departments will also strengthen surveillance of wild birds within the 10 km radius of the farm.