This lethal infection has caused mayhem amongst the frog species from the jungle of Central America.

In Australia, this fungus has already destroyed some frog populations.

Last year, the disease was signaled in Europe.

The deadly Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a fungus living in the moist skin of the amphibians, obstructing its functions, breathing and water interchanges.

In 90 % of the cases the amphibians die, while this fungus is harmless for other species.

The gruesome infection seems to create itself an entrance gate into Asia; if it does, this would mean the decline for many amphibian species in Asia.

At least five frogs have died in Japan's first confirmed cases of Batrachochytrium.

Animal and research groups in Japan declared "a state of emergency,'' urging frog owners to contact veterinarians the moment they detect suspicious cases.

"Two of the five dead frogs were kept as pets by a couple in Tokyo and tested positive for the fungus in late December while the infection of three others kept in a pet shop near Tokyo was confirmed earlier this month," said Yumi Une, assistant professor of Azabu University in Kanagawa

"The dead frogs were of South American origin and are believed to have been raised in Japan," she said.

"A dozen other frogs owned by the couple had died earlier, and their deaths may have been caused by the same deadly fungus", Une said.

"The frogs were kept in several water tanks inside the couple's house and the fungus was possibly transmitted through water," she said.

"It is the first time that the fungus has been confirmed in frogs in Japan," said Une.

"Although these were the first confirmed cases, there is no proof that there had been no infection before,'' Une said.

By now, the infection was not reported in nature.

The emergency declaration was posted on the Web site of World Wide Fund for Nature Japan Friday and dated Saturday, asked the owner of amphibians to be more vigil and authorities to strengthen quarantine.