TOKYO, Jan. 27 ― Gifu prefecture on Jan. 26 lifted restrictions of movement and shipment on hog farms, which were imposed since an outbreak of classical swine fever, also known as hog cholera, in domestic pigs in central Japan in September 2018.
On Sept. 9, the agriculture ministry reported a case of classical swine fever at a farm in Gifu prefecture for the first time in 26 years. The remaining 610 pigs were culled to contain the outbreak and depopulation of the farm was completed.
As a result, Japan suspended exports of pork and other pork products.
Since then, Gifu prefecture employed measures to stamp out the disease that include movement controls and surveillance within and outside the containment zone.
The agriculture ministry has been calling on other local governments to increase surveillance and preventative measures of the infectious disease.
Wild boars are suspected to be the source of infections, and experts are calling for additional steps to control wild pigs in the area.
Classical swine fever occurs among pigs and wild boar and is not infectious to humans, but it can be devastating the pork industry because pork sales would be severely disrupted.