According to The Japan News, the measures focus on thorough hygiene management at pig farms and the smooth supply of vaccines. The ministry will draw up special manuals against the viral disease based on the measures, in September or later.

Under the planned measures, areas hit by PED outbreaks would be designated by prefectural governments as special communicable disease control zones, where sterilization and other measures would be taken to prevent PED from spreading.

Details of the special zone designation system will be worked out through discussions with experts. The ministry will also consider steps to help out farms hit by PED outbreaks.

More than 50 per cent of newborn pigs that contract the disease are likely to die, experts say.

In Japan, the first PED infections in seven years were confirmed in October 2013. Between then and 1 June, more than 220,000 pigs have died in 38 prefectures.

While the number of new PED infections has been decreasing, the disease has not yet been brought fully under control, a ministry official said.