Japan has diagnosed the first outbreaks of avian HPAI influenza on commercial farms in 2021.  The first case is in a unit housing 143,000 hens in Yokote City in Akita Prefecture.  According to media reports, a second farm was infected with an H5 strain HPAI on November 12th in Kagoshima Prefecture.  In view of the fact that the two outbreaks are separated by a distance of 800 miles, it may be assumed that the infection is widespread in migratory waterfowl that are currently moving across Southeast Asia with Japan, South Korea and China at risk.  Most recently Japan experienced outbreaks of H5N8 at the end of 2020 and H5N6 during the winter of 2016.  Previous outbreaks were recorded seasonally in 2005 and 2007.

Should the situation deteriorate with extensive losses due to depopulation of farms as in previous years, Japan will look to the U.S. for supplies of shell eggs and increase importation of egg liquids.

Map of Japan showing distance between HPAI outbreaks: #1 Akita Prefecture, #2 Kagomisha prefecture both costal regions on migratory flyways