G/SPS/N/JPN/872  
 
2 September  2021 
(21-6566) 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):   
− Meat and edible meat offal (HS Codes: 02.01, 02.02, 02.04, 02.05, 02.06 and 02.08)  
− Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates (HS Codes: 03.02, 
03.03 and 03.04)  
− Dairy produce (HS Code: 04.01)  
− Animal originated products (HS Code: 05.04)  
− Animal fats and oils (HS Codes: 15.02 and 15.06)  
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:  Revision of the Specifications and Standards for Foods, 
Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical 
residue standards) . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:   1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/JPN/21_5529_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Proposal of maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural chemical:  
Veterinary drug: Albendazole.  
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? I f so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Veterinary drug Residues in Food - Albendazole  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Anima l Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  G/SPS/N/JPN/872  
 
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  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
Cattle fat, Cattle kidney, Cattle liver, Milk, Cattle muscle  
Other terrestrial mammals fat, Other terrestrial mammals kidney, Other terrestrial 
mammals liver and Other terrestrial mammals muscle  
In regard to Codex, MRLs are analysed as 2 -amino -benzimidaso -le (metabolite I) and 
expressed as parent drug equivalents. In Japan, the residue definition is  
albendazole 2 -amino sulphone (metabolite I) : [5 -(Propylsulfonyl) -1H-benzimidazole -2-
amine] ([6 -(propylsulfonyl) -1H-benzimidazole -2-amine]), not expressed as the parent 
compound.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Food Sanitation Act (available in English). When adopted, these MRLs are to be published 
in Kampo (Official Government Gazette) (available in Japanese).   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : In due course.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : In due c ourse.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : These proposed standards will take effect after a certain period.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) 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 B ureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp