Japan confirms 1st case of swine flu contracted inside country

Tokyo: Japanese health authorities have confirmed the country's first case of swine flu that was contracted inside the country.

Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe said in national television broadcast on Saturday that a male high school student who has not travelled recently has tested positive for the H1N1.

The student, from the port city of Kobe west of Tokyo, is Japan's fifth confirmed case.

Japan has previously focused on preventing the flu from entering the country from abroad, conducting on board health checks of passengers arriving from overseas at airports.