Singapore suspends poultry imports from four Japan prefectures following bird flu outbreaks

Officials in protective suits culling chickens on Nov 25 at a poultry farm in Kashima, Saga prefecture, where a highly pathogenic bird flu virus was detected. - PHOTO: REUTERS

SINGAPORE: Singapore has suspended the import of raw poultry and poultry products from four prefectures in Japan following recent reports of bird flu outbreaks, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a circular on Dec 8.

The temporary ban restricts raw poultry imports from Saga and Kagoshima in the Kyushu region, and Ibaraki and Saitama in the Kanto region. The ban in these prefectures took effect between Nov 25 and Dec 3, SFA added.