Government officials and scientists are moving to update countermeasures for a possible influenza pandemic after this winter's global spread of avian flu.
Researchers plan to review the government's death toll estimate from a possible flu pandemic that was drawn up more than a decade ago and no longer reflects the nation's latest medical situation.
"We need to conduct a comprehensive review of measures in light of changes to the situation," said Nobuhiko Okabe, who chairs a health ministry subcommittee on new strains of flu.