The Hong Kong Center for Food Safety Tuesday announced that the processing of applications for importing poultry and poultry products from Miyazaki and Okayama Prefectures of Japan would resume with immediate effect.

The center suspended processing of applications following confirmation of an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 on a poultry farm in Miyazaki in January. Another outbreak was confirmed on a poultry farm in Okayama in February.

The center lifted the restrictions for Japan (except Miyazaki and Okayama) in April while continuing to monitor the situation in Miyazaki and Okayama.

"In view of the control measures taken by Japan and the fact that there are no other cases of avian influenza reported in the two prefectures, we decide to resume processing of applications," a center spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2007)