Japan implements first selective pig culling after swine fever outbreak

Shizuoka Prefecture authorities began Japan's first selective culling of pigs at a farm in Fuji-miya City on July 5 following an African swine fever outbreak ^[1].

This move marks a significant shift in how Japan manages livestock diseases, moving away from total herd liquidation to preserve genetically valuable or immune animals. By sparing specific livestock, the government aims to mitigate the economic devastation typically associated with total culls.

The process began at 7 p.m. on July 5 ^[1], shortly after a positive test for the virus was confirmed on July 4 ^[1]. At the breeding farm, officials culled about 1,000 pigs, primarily those in the fattening process and piglets ^[1]. Out of a total population of approximately 1,200 animals, about 200 breeding sows were spared because they were identified as immune ^[1].

This selective approach was made possible by an amendment to the Livestock Infectious Disease Prevention Act passed in May 2026 ^[3]. Previously, the law required the destruction of all animals on an infected site to prevent the spread of the virus. The new legal framework allows authorities to target only high-risk animals while preserving those that do not pose a threat to the wider population.

To ensure the virus is fully eradicated from the site, authorities scheduled disinfection procedures to occur twice per week until late July ^[1].

Local leadership is focused on the broader economic impact of the outbreak. Mayor Hidetada Sudo of Fuji-miya City said he called for the prevention of reputational damage ^[2].

While some reports suggested a larger cull of approximately 2,200 pigs ^[4], the prefecture's primary reporting indicates the selective process targeted roughly 1,000 animals to protect the breeding stock ^[1].