According to NHK, Japan has reported the initial instance of severe H5-type avian influenza for this season at a poultry farm located in the southern region of the country.

According to unnamed officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, NHK reported that approximately 40,000 birds on a farm in Saga prefecture will be culled by the local government.

Officials from the Ministry were unavailable for comment outside of regular business hours.

NHK reported that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will call a meeting with appropriate Cabinet members to talk about strategies for containing the spread of the virus.

According to the report, genetic testing was done after several poultry birds were discovered dead at the farm on Friday, leading to the detection of the virus.

In recent years, a highly contagious form of bird flu has been spreading worldwide, resulting in the euthanization of hundreds of millions of birds.

Last season, the authorities in Japan were on high alert as a record number of 17.7 million poultry birds were culled.