G/SPS/N/JPN/638  
 
25 April 2019  
(19-2810) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  JAPAN  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Food and food additives, utensils, containers and packaging for food 
and food additives  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Amendment to the Cabinet Order and Ordinance for 
Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act and other relevant ordinances . Language(s):  
English . Number of pages:  7 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/JPN/19_2389_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The main items in the amendment to the Cabinet Order and 
Ordinan ce for Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act, the Ordinance for Enforcement of 
the Slaughterhouse Act, and the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Poultry Slaughtering 
Business Control and Poultry Meat Inspection Act  are: 
(a) Requirement of food hygiene control based on HACCP principles;  
(b) Ensuring safety of imported foods and Legalizing administration related to food 
export;  
(c) Improvement of sanitary regulations for utensils, containers and packaging 
considering international consistency;  
(d) Revision of licensing syste m and establishment of notification system for food 
business;  
(e) Establishment of a reporting system for food recalls.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : (a) in item 6: CXC -1-1969, (b) in item 6: CXG -38-
2001 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/JPN/638  
 
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  [ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform  to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
When  adopted, this amendment  will be published in Kampo,  the official Japanese 
Governmental Gazette (available in Japanese).   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : In the summer of 2019.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : In the summer of 2019.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : For (a), (b), and (c), in the summer of 2020. For (d) and (e), in 
the summer of 2021.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 24 June 2019  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if avail able) of other body:   
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Japan Enquiry Point  
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp