Japan will be beefing up inspections on travellers carrying meat and meat products in their carry-on luggage, following concerns about the outbreak of African swine fever last year.
In 2017, Japan Animal Quarantine Service counted 94,522 cases of travellers carrying goods that were not approved for import, amounting to 119,113kg in goods.
This year, the service will be launching a campaign warning travellers against carrying meat and meat products into Japan. Violators are liable for up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to one million Japanese yen.
The campaign, to be rolled out on the authority’s website, posters and on video distribution sites, is likely to take effect in April.
The quarantine service currently employs some 33 detector dogs to sniff out meat products across Japan’s airports and post offices. The dogs have been a priority on flights from Asia following the outbreak of African swine fever in the area.
The gene of the African swine fever disease has been detected in some of the pork products carried in passengers’ hand luggage.
Neighbouring countries South Korea and Taiwan also impose strict punishments and fines on travellers who bring in meat products.