Fukushima police in Japan airlifted a powdery substance leaked from an envelop to Tokyo for poison tests, Kyodo News reported, quoting Fukushima prefectural police on Tuesday.
An airmail envelope addressed to Australia leaked a powdery substance at the central post office in the city of Fukushima on Sunday, according to Kyodo News, adding that the powder was described as looking like coarse wheat flour.
Postal officials said the envelope, measuring 10 centimeters by 16 cm, was addressed to Australia but does not contain the sender' s name.
Public health authorities disinfected the Fukushima central post office's mail-handling room Sunday night and sprayed disinfectants on the post office employees and police officers at the scene.
None of the post office employees who handled the mail package has complained of physical discomfort, Kyodo reported.
Police suspected it as an anthrax prank and has opened a criminal investigation of prank, it said.
The powder has been airlifted Monday afternoon to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo for poison tests, the report said.
Results of the test could be out Tuesday, according to Kyodo News.
Earlier Monday, Japanese health ministry officials said a Japanese version of U.S. guidelines for handling anthrax threats has been posted on the health ministry's Web site following a series of anthrax cases reported in the United States.
（ Xinhua News Agency 10/16/2001）
