Questioning to persons entering Japan

When entering Japan, Animal Quarantine officers will ask certain questions aimed at preventing the incursion and spread of animal infectious diseases into Japan.
Your cooperation with these inquiries is appreciated.

Overview of Questioning for Persons Entering Japan

Animal infectious diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF) are spreading all over the world especially in Asia. To prevent the incursion of ASF Virus, the Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control has been amended in July 2020, and Animal Quarantine Service strengthen animal quarantine inspections against passenger luggage and international parcels for livestock products. By the amendments, Animal Quarantine Officer can ask and inspect about the possession of meats or meat products (e.g. ham, sausage etc.) in hand luggage and disinfect or dispose of them as necessary.

Bring Animal Products into JAPAN

Questions

The questions to persons entering Japan are as follows.

Q1. Do you have any meats or meat product?

Q2. Have you touched livestock (e.g. cattle, pigs, chickens etc.) or have you been at a livestock facility, such as a stock farm or slaughterhouse, within the last week?

Q3. Do you have any clothes, shoes, etc. that have touched livestock, their manure or soil?

Q4. Do you plan to touch livestock in Japan within the next week?

Method of questioning

Usually, questions are asked via announcement inside planes and ships arriving in ports directly from countries and regions where there have been outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever, and via announcement inside passenger terminals, so those persons to whom the questions apply (who have answered "YES" to any of the questions), after arriving in Japan, please come to Animal Quarantine counter in baggage claim area. logistics

You may be questioned verbally by Animal Quarantine officers.

Questions & Answers

General Questions

Q1：Is it carried out for all persons entering Japan?

A1：No. It is only for those persons entering Japan by way of a plane or ship arriving in Japan directly from regions where there has been an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or African swine fever.

Q2：I have answered "YES" to any of the questions. What should I do?

A2：Please notify Animal Quarantine officers in the baggage claim area. According to the contents of your answers, your accompanied items will be inspected and disinfected, and you will be given guidance from animal health point of view.

Q3：I have answered "NO" to all questions. What should I do?

A3：If you do not have any items subject to inspection, such as meat, ham or sausages, please proceed to customs inspection.

Q4：How will my accompanied items be disinfected?

A4：Clothing, shoes and equipment for which there is a risk of pathogens being adheared will be disinfected disinfectant spray, ozone gas or ultraviolet light. Disinfection will be carried out at the Animal Quarantine counter.

Q5：Why are clothing and shoes, etc., disinfected?

A5：Because there is the risk that viruses that cause infectious diseases of domestic animals, such as foot-and-mouth disease, can also be spread via the clothes and shoes you are wearing.

Q6：What is the guidance guidance from animal health point of view?

A6：Persons who have come in contact with domestic animals, or persons who have visited a livestock related facility, will be given guidance from animal health point of view, such as washing the body and clothing and avoiding coming into contact with domestic animals.

Q7：Are there any penal provisions?

A7：Refusal to answer, giving false answers, or refusing, obstructing or avoiding inspection or disinfection, may be punishaed with a fine not exceeding 300,000 yen.

(This is an example of some placards that Animal Quarantine officers use during verbal questioning.)
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