Notifications for Japan (1406 notifications)

As announced in G/SPS/N/JPN/680 dated 8 August 2019, the amendments of standards and specifications of feed additives, Manganese methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, Copper methionine hydroxy analogue chelate, Astaxanthin, β-Apo-8'-carotenic acid ethylester and Canthaxanthin entered into force on 8 October 2019.

This notice is issued to correct the "The proposed revision of Article 5.3 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act (Plants need not to be accompanied by PC)" which is hyperlinked in Item 5 of the notification G/SPS/N/JPN/684 dated 3 October 2019. The corrections are as follows:Page 1, paragraph 2"However, this shall not apply to those used for fertilizer, feed and other production materials for agriculture, forestry and fishery, and those plants stipulated in the provision of Appended Table 2, Rows 14 and 15, the Column of Plants of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries." should read as below:"However, this shall not apply to plants that are intended for use as fertilizers, animal feeds and other production materials for agriculture, forestry and fishery OR plants that are provided in Item 14 and Item 15 of the Annexed Table 2 of the Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries."Page 1, "2. Dried and shredded plants""Dried and shredded plants (excluding Senna (Cassia acutifolia) stem, orange (Citrus sinensis) fruits, orange rind, and cassava (Manihot esculenta) root)" should read as "Dried and chopped plants (excluding Senna stem (Cassia acutifolia), orange fruits and peels (Citrus sinensis), and cassava roots (Manihot esculentaPage 1, "3. Dried and crushed plants""Dried and crushed plants (excluding orange and tamarind (Tamrindus indica) fruits, and cassava root)" should read as "Dried and crushed or smashed plants (excluding orange and tamarind fruits (Tamarindus indica) and cassava roots)."Page 1, "4. Dried plants that have not been compressed, shredded, crushed or smashed. ""Dried plants that have not been compressed, shredded, crushed or smashed. However, the following parts are excluded for wood and the following plants" should read as "Dried plants that are not compressed, chopped, crushed or smashed. However, in addition to woods, plant parts of the described below are excluded from the dried plants."Page 1, "Excluded parts""Excluded parts" should read as "Excluded plant parts".Page 2English name/Scientific name "Egoma (Perilla ocimoides)" should read as "Egoma (Perilla ocymoides)". Excluded plant parts of Castanea crenata "Shelled seed" should read as "Chestnut (excluding peeled chestnut)".English name/Scientific name "Peruvian pepper (Schinus mole)" should read as "Peruvian pepper (Schinus molleExcluded plant parts of Castanea mollissima "Shelled seed" should read as "Chestnut (excluding peeled chestnut)"Page 3Excluded plant parts of Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) "Shelled seed" should read as "Nut (excluding peeled nut)"Final date for comments is extended from 2 December 2019 to 18 December 2019.

Establishment of the quantity specified by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as the quantity that is unlikely harm to human health prescribed in the proviso of Paragraph (3) of Article 18 of the amended Food Sanitation Act (Act No. 233 of 1947) that was amended by the Act Partially Amending the Food Sanitation Act etc. (Act No. 46 of 2018) (See attachment for the details.)

Partial revision of the specifications and standards for utensils, containers, and packaging for milk and milk products. (See attachment for the details.)

Establishment of the specifications for Isomaltodextranase and Japanese persimmon color, and revision of the specifications for Enju extract and dl-α-Tocopherol.

Japan prohibits the import of any plants which are not accompanied by Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) issued by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of exporting countries based on Article 6 of the Japanese Plant Protection Act (Act No. 151 of 1950) except for plants specified in the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act (Ordinance No. 73 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 1950).The recently conducted risk assessment showed that plants which have undergone certain processing such as drying and shredding etc. have a low risk of attaching quarantine pests.Therefore, Japan has determined to specify some plants which are unnecessary to be accompanied by PC in the amended Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act (please check the notified document).In addition, as a pragmatic approach, Japan has exceptionally inspected some plants not specified in the Ordinance imported by freight which are not accompanied by PC, and accepted to import if those plants pass the inspection. However, considering the recent reports that some serious quarantine pests have entered into Japan such as White Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera pallida) and Plum Pox Virus, Japan has decided to stop the above mentioned exception in order to reduce the entry risks of such pests.Japan would request NPPO of WTO Members to inform those who have an intention to export plants to Japan after June 2020 (six months after the amended Ordinance comes into force) that it will be necessary to accompany PC for plants that are not specified in the amended Ordinance.

In order to prevent the introduction of H7 avian influenza (AI) virus into Japan, MAFF has suspended the import of poultry meat and egg products from Chile, including those shipped through third countries, based on the articles 37 and 44 of the "Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control" and the "Animal Health Requirements for poultry meat and its products to be exported to Japan from Chile" since 12 September 2019. Poultry meat products derived from animals slaughtered on and after 6 August 2019 and poultry egg products derived from eggs laid on and after 6 August 2019 are not eligible to be exported to Japan, taking into consideration the incubation period of the AI virus stipulated in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/third-free.html

The revision of the compositional specification for Hypobromous acid water notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/625 (dated 27 March 2019) was adopted and published on 27 June 2019.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) will add horse to the scope of the Act on Safety Assurance and Quality Improvement of Feeds to contribute to public safety and stable production of horses by ensuring safety and improving of feeds. Through this amendment of the ordinance for enforcement of the Act, the following contents of the act will be applicable to the feeds for horses: 1. Set standards and specifications for manufacturing and labelling for feeds for horses (those details will be notified in 2020); 2. Prohibit manufacturing, importing, selling and using horse feeds that are not meeting the standard and specifications or containing harmful substances; 3. When harmful feeds for horses are distributed, MAFF may order the manufacturer or importer to dispose or recall them; 4. Manufacturers and importers of feeds for horses are obliged to notify MAFF of their business; 5. Manufacturers, importers and dealers of feeds for horses are obliged to keep records concerning manufacturing, importing and selling of feed for horses in their books. Note: Scope of horse on the Act is planned to be "horse intended for human consumption". It will be specified in 2020.

The authorization of Isobutylamine, Isopropylamine, sec-Butylamine, Propylamine, Hexylamine, Pentylamine and 2-Methylbutylamine as food additives and establishment of the standards and the specifications, notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/623 (dated 18 March 2019), were adopted and published on 6 June 2019.

The authorization of Argon as a food additive and establishment of the standards and the specifications, notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/622 (dated 18 March 2019), were adopted and published on 6 June 2019.

As was announced in G/SPS/N/JPN/639 dated 29 April 2019, the amendment of the Maximum Levels for chemical substances in feed commodities will enter into force on 6 February 2020.

The proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Tebufenpyrad notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/609 (dated 19 December 2018) were adopted and published on 30 May 2019.The specified MRLs are available as below:

The proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Fluensulfone notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/608 (dated 19 December 2018) were adopted and published on 30 May 2019.The specified MRLs are available as below:

The proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Fluazifop-butyl notified in G/SPS/N/JPN/607 (dated 19 December 2018) were adopted and published on 30 May 2019.The specified MRLs are available as below:

Establishment of specifications and standards for utensils, containers, and packaging made of synthetic resins.

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemicalPesticide: Metaflumizone

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemicalPesticide: Pyriofenone

Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemicalPesticide: Cyenopyrafen

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemical:Pesticide: Triflumizole