The government unveiled a package of emergency measures Tuesday aimed at containing the spread of bird flu, including plans to crack down on farmers who fail to disclose evidence their birds are infected.
Under a legal amendment proposed in the package, poultry farmers who fail to issue proper reports on suspected cases of the highly contagious disease would face stiffer fines or prison terms.
The measures include financial aid for farmers affected by emergency restrictions on shipments of chicken meat and eggs in areas surrounding chicken farms hit by bird flu. The amount of this aid through the end of the current fiscal year, which runs through March 31, will total 105 million yen.