Japan Suspends Poultry Imports From UK Western Isles After H5 Bird Flu Outbreak

Japan has temporarily suspended imports of live poultry, poultry meat and related products from the United Kingdom’s Western Isles after confirmation of an H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak at a poultry holding.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries imposed the measure on October 5 after receiving notice of the outbreak from British animal-health authorities. The ministry published the suspension on October 6.

The measure is regional rather than a blanket UK ban

The suspension applies to the Western Isles outbreak area, not automatically to all poultry trade from the United Kingdom. Japan uses regional disease controls to reduce the risk of introducing avian influenza through live birds and poultry products.

MAFF stressed that the action is designed to protect poultry health in Japan and is not a food-safety warning. Highly pathogenic avian influenza controls are intended to prevent disease introduction into domestic flocks.

UK live-poultry trade with Japan has grown sharply

MAFF data show Japan imported 198,654 live poultry from the United Kingdom in 2025, up from 6,906 in 2024. UK poultry-meat imports remained much smaller at 29.4 tonnes in 2025.

The direct volume affected by a Western Isles suspension depends on the origin of individual consignments, but the episode shows how quickly a localized H5 outbreak can alter export eligibility even when national trade remains open.