A national institute in Tokyo plans to use and research live strains of the Ebola virus and other infectious diseases imported from overseas, a move that would see the institute begin utilizing its biosafety level 4 facility, which is equipped to safely handle the most dangerous types of viruses.

Earlier this month, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said National Institute of Infectious Diseases’ Murayama Branch plans to use live viruses to strengthen detection methods for infectious diseases ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The branch is located in Musashimurayama, Tokyo.

Several types of viral hemorrhagic fever that have a high mortality rate, including Ebola and Lassa fever, are spreading overseas. The government has set a goal of 40 million foreign visitors in 2020, and there are concerns people carrying these diseases could enter the country.

Essential steps for combating infectious diseases include an accurate, quick diagnosis, tracing the infection route and providing appropriate treatment. However, current testing methods used in the country at times struggle to provide a diagnosis, even if a patient is infected with a virus. Using live viruses will enable new tests to ensure a treatment is effective.

In August 2015, the Musashimurayama city government agreed to allow tests to be done at the branch if a patient was identified. However, no tests using live viruses have been conducted so far.

According to the ministry, at least 59 level 4 facilities operate in 24 nations including the United States, Germany and China, and it is standard for these facilities to use testing methods based on live viruses.