Samples of anthrax and drug-resistant tuberculosis that could be used for bioterrorism are kept in at least 114 medical and research facilities in Japan, half of which do not have manuals on how to handle the dangerous pathogens, a government study showed Wednesday.
According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry's study conducted on about 8,000 facilities in September, 79 said they keep samples of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, or MDR TB, for research or testing purposes, 27 have anthrax and eight others possess both.
But 58 out of the 114 facilities have failed to compile manuals on handling the microbes.
Ministry officials noted that the actual number of facilities storing anthrax and MDR TB could be larger nationwide as response to the latest study was voluntary and it did not cover institutions outside the ministry's jurisdiction.
The results were released as the government plans to submit a bill to the Diet next year to revise the Infectious Disease Law as part of efforts to strengthen antiterrorism measures.
Under the revision, the government plans to tighten control over storing and producing the bacteria, including drug-resistant strains.
The poll covered various facilities, including medical institutions, health research institutions and health-care centers.