On October 7, the Ministry of the Environment and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that more than 10,000 fire ants had been found in a container unloaded at Aomi Wharf in Tokyo Port.
The total number of confirmed fire ant populations is estimated to be over 1 worker ants and over 8000 eggs, larvae, and pupae, the highest number since they were first confirmed in 2017.
<Location where fire ants were discovered this time>
<Fire ants confirmed this time (background mesh is spaced 5mm apart)>
The container in question was loaded onto a ship at Xiamen Port in China on September 26. When it arrived at Aomi Wharf in Tokyo Port on September 30 and was being unloaded, the operator discovered approximately 40 ants on the roof of one of the containers and reported it to the authorities. Experts confirmed that the ants were fire ants.
During an on-site investigation by the Ministry of the Environment, it was determined that the container in question was the lowest of three stacked containers on the ship. Upon examining the two containers stacked above it, it was confirmed that numerous worker ants were moving from the bottom of the containers towards the planted areas within the container yard, carrying eggs, larvae, and pupae.
All containers have been sealed, some have been disinfected, and the rest will be disinfected as soon as possible.
