Progress toward measles elimination--Japan, 1999-2008

In 2005, the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR) set a target date of 2012 for measles elimination in all WPR member states. In Japan, measles control strategies have included 1) a nationwide public awareness campaign implemented in 2001 to promote timely vaccination with the first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) administered on or after age 12 months, and 2) a 2-dose MCV schedule with the second dose (MCV2) administered at age 5-6 years, adopted in 2006 in accordance with the recommended WPR measles elimination strategy. However, during 2007-2008, Japan experienced a large measles outbreak, which resulted in exportation of measles cases from Japan into countries where measles elimination had been achieved. This report describes the epidemiology of measles in Japan during 1999--2008 and approval of a National Measles Elimination Plan in December 2007 that includes recommendations for immunization strategies, case-based measles surveillance, and monitoring to ensure elimination of measles by 2012. Measles continues to be endemic in Japan, with most cases occurring in children before school entry, except for 2007 and 2008, when a shift to an older age group was observed. With implementation of the National Measles Elimination Plan, Japan is expected to make progress toward achieving the WPR measles elimination goal.