A case of bird flu is suspected in the town of Kokonoe in west Japan's Oita Prefecture, Japanese farm ministry said Tuesday.

Seven dead chickens, found in a private garden, tested positive for a bird flu virus and the National Institute of Animal Health is now conducting confirmation tests, according to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

The Oita prefectural government is now restricting access to affected area.

Japan reported an outbreak of bird flu, the first in the country since 1925, in Yamaguchi Prefecture last December.

The government has announced that the resulting slaughter of all chickens in the region has had limited impact on the domestic market because of the area's small share of national poultry production.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2004)