Japan Culls 50,000 Chickens Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

Japanese authorities have begun culling approximately 50,000 chickens following a bird flu outbreak at a farm in the northern Iwate region, marking the 19th outbreak this season. The outbreak was confirmed after the farm reported rising fowl deaths, and tests conducted on January 5 identified bird flu as the cause. In response, the Iwate regional government has prohibited the movement of 170,000 birds from two nearby farms within a three-kilometer radius, while around 3.8 million birds in a ten-kilometer zone are restricted from leaving. This incident follows additional outbreaks in Iwate and Aichi, leading to the culling of 120,000 and 147,000 birds respectively, and a significant culling of 1.08 million birds in Ibaraki on December 29. The situation underscores an escalating bird flu crisis in Japan, with strict containment measures being enforced to prevent further spread of the virus.