G/TBT/N/JPN/673/Add.2  
 
27 January 2022  
(22-0668) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication , dated  26 January 2022 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Japan . 
 
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Title: Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic Distribution and Importation of Specified Aquatic animals 
and plants  
 
Reason for Addendum:  
[  ] Comment period changed - date:   
[  ] Notified measure adopted - date:  
[  ] Notified measure published - date:  
[  ] Notified measure enters into force - date:  
[  ] Text of final measure available from1:  
[  ] Notified measure withdrawn or revoked - date:  
Relevant symbol if measure re -notified:   
[  ] Content or scope of notified measure changed  and text available from1:  
New deadline for comments (if applicable):   
[  ] Interpretive guidance issued and text available from1:  
[X] Other: Outline will be stipulated in the Ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries and other relevant rules (the Ordinance). Other contents of the Ordinance 
that are not described in this Notification and its Addenda will be notified to the WTO in 
accordance with notification under article five of the Agreement on import licensing 
procedures.  
Final date for comments: Sixty days from the date of circulation of the n otification.  
 
Description:  In order to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) catches from entering 
domestic supply chains in Japan, the bill for the Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic Distribution 
and Importation of Specified Aquatic Animals and Plants (the Act) has be en established in 2020 and 
is scheduled to enter into force on December 1, 2022. There are two separate measures to regulate 
illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) catches stipulates in the Act: regulation on Japanese 
Domestic Market (Class I Aquatic An imals and Plants) and import regulation (Class II Aquatic Animals 
and Plants). Such Market -related measures are the primary responsibility for market states to 
combat IUU fishing in accordance with the relevant international agreed documents (e.g. "Volunta ry 
Guidelines for Catch Documentation Schemes" proposed by FAO and "International Plan of Action to 
Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing" published by FAO.  
 
1 This information can be provided by including a website address, a pdf attachment, or other 
information on where the text of the final /modified  measure and/or interpretive guidance can be obtained.  G/TBT/N/JPN/673/Add.2  
 
- 2 - 
 
  The Ordinance is scheduled to be promulgated in spring 2022. Mai n contents stipulated in the 
ordinance will be fish species* subject to the Act and the details of Japan's catch documentation 
scheme under the Act. Other contents of the Ordinance that are not described in this Notification 
and its Addendum will be notifi ed to the WTO in accordance with notification under article five of the 
Agreement on import licensing procedures.  
* Sea cucumber, Abalone and Glass eel are designated as Class I Aquatic Animals and Plants (Class 
I). Glass eel is scheduled to be applied fro m 2025 as Class I. Squid and cuttle fish, Pacific saury 
(Cololabis spp.), Mackerel (Scomber spp.) and Sardine (Sardinops spp.) are designated and as Class 
II Aquatic Animals and Plants.  
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