Import Alert: Import Restrictions on Japan due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza   

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent this bulletin at 05/02/2024 09:23 AM EDT

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Import Alert: Import Restrictions on Japan due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza 

 

 

Issuance date: May 1, 2024 

                         4:40 pm, U.S. Eastern 

 

 

Newly restricted zone(s) 

Effective date(s): April 29, 2024—Chiba Prefecture 

    

Newly released zone(s) 

None 

 

Effective on the date(s) listed above, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating its list of prefectures in Japan that are subject to restrictions on the importation of certain avian commodities.  

 

The updated list of currently restricted prefectures is provided below.  

 

Chiba 

 

APHIS imposed these restrictions due to the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in domestic birds in Japan.  

 

APHIS lifts its import restrictions on prefectures in Japan after they have met World Organisation for Animal Health criteria for recovery of HPAI free status described in Article 10.4.6 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code. 

 

Live avian restrictions: 

Importation into the United States of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, and avian hatching eggs originating from or transiting these prefecture(s) is prohibited.  Pet birds, zoo birds, and Columbiformes originating from or transiting a restricted prefecture may be imported with a health certificate and APHIS-issued import permit. They must be flown directly to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, or Miami International Airport in Florida to undergo a 30-day federal quarantine that includes mandatory testing.  

 

Avian product and byproduct restrictions: 

Importation into the United States of unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products originating from or transiting these prefecture(s) is prohibited. 

 

Processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting a restricted prefecture, imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements.  

 

Importation of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the shell (i.e., liquid eggs and dried egg whites), originating from or transiting a restricted prefecture, imported as cargo, is prohibited unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHIS-approved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is/are not required for these shipments if they are consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment. 

 

Processed avian products and byproducts, including eggs and egg products, for personal use originating from or transiting a restricted prefecture and entering in passenger baggage must:  

 

  • have a thoroughly cooked appearance; or 
  • be shelf-stable as a result of APHIS-approved packaging and cooking (i.e., packaged in a hermetically sealed container and cooked by a commercial method after such packing to produce an article that is shelf stable without refrigeration); or  
  • be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products or byproducts were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements. 

 

Unprocessed avian products and byproducts for personal use or in passenger baggage originating from or transiting a restricted prefecture will not be permitted to enter the United States. This includes hunter harvested, non-fully finished avian trophies and meat. 

 

These restrictions will be updated as additional epidemiological information is obtained. 

 

More information is available on the APHIS website:  

 

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