Japan partially suspends poultry imports from Brazil after bird flu outbreak

TOKYO, May 19 (Reuters) - Japan suspended imports of poultry meat from the city of Montenegro and live poultry from the broader Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul last Friday following an outbreak of bird flu, an official at Japan's agriculture ministry said on Monday.

Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm on Friday, triggering protocols for a country-wide trade ban from top buyer China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers.