A Review of Interministerial and Local Government Simulation Training on Zoonotic Diseases

This study aimed to identify limitations in interministerial role allocation and information sharing during the response to the 2025 Brucella canis outbreaks. It also sought to propose practical improvements for the One Health collaboration system through simulation exercises using the joint risk assessment (JRA) tool.

A tabletop exercise was conducted with 34 interministerial practitioners using scenarios based on actual B. canis cases and social issues in April and August 2025. The effectiveness of the exercise was evaluated using pre- and post-surveys (on a 5-point Likert scale) to assess changes in the participants' understanding of risk assessment and perceptions of collaboration.

Participants' subjective understanding of risk assessment improved significantly, from an average score of 2.47 to 3.94 points. The "perception of the importance of interministerial collaboration" received the highest score (4.56 points). While participants gained experience in mediating conflicts between the social impact of pet-borne zoonoses and quarantine priorities, they reported a high cognitive burden during when formulating qualitative justifications for risk characterization.

An effective response to companion animal-derived zoonoses such as B. canis requires systems capable of reconciling interdepartmental differences in risk perception and supporting consensus-based decision-making. The findings suggest that the JRA tool, can serve as practical instruments for strengthening collaborative responses.