Importation of poultry products from Japan resumed as a temporary ban for the entry of domestic and wild birds was lifted, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Thursday.

The DA lifted the temporary ban after veterinary authorities declared Japan free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Based on the DA's Department Circular No.40, the risk assessment showed that the likelihood of disease transmission through imports from Japan is now considered negligible, paving the way for the resumption of trade.

"The policy action followed official confirmation from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries that the outbreak had been resolved and no additional cases had been detected. The World Organization for Animal Health has likewise recognized Japan as free from avian influenza under its animal health standards," the agency stated.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the decision reflects the DA’s science-based approach to balancing food security with the protection of the country's livestock and poultry industries.

"We will never compromise the health of our poultry industry, but we also recognize the importance of keeping reliable supply channels open when science tells us the risk has been effectively eliminated," he said.

"Lifting the ban supports food security by ensuring access to quality breeding materials, strengthens the competitiveness of our poultry sector, and demonstrates that sound animal health measures can protect both public health and agricultural production,” he added.

Its decision covers domestic and wild birds, including day-old chicks and hatching eggs, reversing a restriction imposed under DA Memorandum Order No. 72, Series of 2025, after Japan reported a bird flu outbreak.

According to the DA, the Department Circular No.40 takes effect 15 days after its publication on their official website and the completion of its filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register, formally restoring poultry trade between the Philippines and Japan under established animal health safeguards.

The agency also stressed the significance of lifting the temporary ban for the local poultry industry, noting that "Japan supplies high-quality breeding stock and hatching eggs that help sustain local production and improve flock genetics."

"Restoring these imports could ease supply constraints for commercial producers while supporting long-term productivity," the DA said.

However, the DA assures that reopening does not signal a relaxation of biosecurity measures as the veterinary inspections, quarantine protocols and import requirements will remain in place to prevent the entry of animal diseases. Robina Asido/PHS