Official Pest Report

1. Date: February 20, 2010

2. Title: Occurrence of plum pox virus in Japan

3. Status of pest (under ISPM No.8): Present: under eradication

4. Identity of pest: plum pox virus

5. Host or article concerned:
Euonymus europaeus, Lycium barbarum, Ligustrum vulgare and Prunus spp.

6. Geographical distribution:
Only in Ome City, Akiruno City, Hachioji City, Hinode Town and Okutama Town in Tokyo Metropolitan.

7. Short description or summary:
Plum pox virus (PPV) was first detected in April 2009 from petals of Japanese apricot, Prunus mume, at orchards in Ome City, Tokyo Metropolitan. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and prefectural governments throughout Japan had conducted the nationwide detection survey for PPV from April to August, 2009, and it was determined that PPV had only distributed in Ome City, Akiruno City, Hachioji City, Hinode Town and Okutama Town in Tokyo Metropolitan. MAFF and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government conducted the delimiting survey for PPV in these municipalities and adjacent areas until November 2009.

For the purpose of eradication of PPV in Japan, MAFF established regulated areas under the ministerial ordinance enforced on February 20, 2010. The regulated areas are all areas of Ome City and Hinode Town, and 17 blocks in Akiruno City, 11 blocks in Hachioji City and 4 blocks in Okutama Town. Furthermore, the ordinance provides that the movements of host plants from these regulated areas are prohibited and also that the PPV-infected plants shall be eliminated, etc. The monitoring survey in these regulated areas and the nationwide detection survey for PPV are going to be conducted also in 2010.

8. Details: See next file 'Status of plum pox virus in Japan'

9. Contact for more informations:

Director of Plant Quarantine Office
Plant Protection Division
Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, JAPAN
E-mail: ippc_contact@nm.maff.go.jp