G/LIC/N/2/JPN/5  
 
1 July 2022 
(22-5097) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: English  
 
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 5 .1 TO 5.4  OF THE AGREEMENT1 
JAPAN 
The following notification, dated 24 June 2022, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Japan.  
 
 Category  Notification details  
1 Notifying Member  Japan 
2 Title of new 
legislation/procedure  Enforcement Regulation of the Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic 
Distribution and Importation of Specified Aquatic Animals and Plants  
3 Date of Publication  26 April 2022 
4 Date of entry into force  1 December 2022  
5 Website link/Official 
publication of the new 
regulation/procedure  - Kampo (Official Government Gazette)  
- Website of the Fisheries Agency of Japan 
https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/220614.html   
6 Have you attached a copy of 
the regulation (PDF) to the 
Secretariat  [X] Yes. ( Please attach a copy of the regulation to the notification. ) 
 
[ ] No.  
7 Type of notification  [X] (a) New licensing regulation/procedure2; (please answer 
question 8 to 14)  
 
[ ] (b) Changes to a regulation/procedure which has been previously 
notified in document: ______________ ; ( please answer question 
15 and 16 ) 
8 List of products subject to 
licensing  Please see the table in the Annex (TECHNICAL NOTE (ver 2.0)) , 
which can be found in the Member Profile in 
www.Importlicensing.WTO.org .  
9 Nature of licensing  Automatic: [ X] 
 
Non-Automatic: [ ]  
10 Administrative 
purpose/measure being 
implemented  (a)  Protect public morals;  
(b)  Protect human, animal or plant life and health; protect 
environment;  
(c)  Collect trade statistics or market surveillance;  
(d)  Protection of patents, trademarks and copyrights, and 
the prevention of deceptive practices;  
(e)  Pursue obligations under the UN Charter and other 
international treaties ( i.e. CITES, Basel Convention, 
Rotterdam Convention, UNSC Resolutions etc.)  
(f)  Quota (including TRQ) administration;  
 
1 "Members which institute licensing procedures or changes in these procedures shall notify the 
Committee of such within 60 days of publication [...]" (Art. 5.1) . 
2 "New licensing regulation/procedure" is understood to refer to any newly introduced law, regulation or 
procedure, and those which are in force but being notified for the first time to the Committee.  
 G/LIC/N/2/JPN/5  
 
- 2 - 
 
   Category  Notification details  
(g)  Regulate imports of arms, ammunition or fissionable 
materials and safeguard national security;  
(h)  Other: Combat Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) 
fishing  
11 Administrative body(ies) for  
submission of applications   
 Ministry/authority and Department: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries, Fisheries Agency, Fishery Products Trade Office  
Address: 1 -2-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku, Tokyo  
Website: https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/220614.html   
Telephone: +81 3 3502 4190  
E-Mail: tekiseika_suisan @maff.go.jp   
12 Contact point for 
information on eligibility  Ministry/authority and Department: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries, Fisheries Agency, Fishery Products Trade Offi ce 
Address: 1 -2-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku, Tokyo  
Website: https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/220614.html   
Telephone: +81 3 3502 4190  
E-Mail: tekiseika_suisan @maff.go.jp   
13 Expected duration of 
licensing procedure  It is scheduled to enter into force on 1 December 2022.  
14 A summary of the 
notification in one of the 
WTO official languages   Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing constitutes one of 
the most serious threats to the sustainable use of fishery resources.  
 
In response to risks caused by IUU fishing, the international  
community has been making a wide array of efforts to prevent IUU 
fishery products from entering the markets , including   introduction 
of the catch certification /documenta tion in accordance with the 
relevant international agreed documents (e.g. "Voluntary 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 ). 
 
The European Union, the United States and the Republic Korea have  
introduce d such schemes to prevent the import of IUU catches . 
Under these circumstances, i n order to fulfil Japan 's responsibility 
as one of the world's largest importers of fishery products, Japan 
will introduce a Japan's catch documentation scheme based on " Act 
on Ensuring the Pro per Domestic Distribution and Importation of 
Specified Aquatic Animals and Plants " to prevent the import of IUU 
catches into Japan, aiming at contributing to global efforts to 
eliminate IUU fishing.   
 
For details on the catch certificate, please see the An nex 
(TECHNICAL NOTE (ver 2.0)) which can be found in the Member 
Profile in www.Importlicensing.WTO.org  and covers relevant 
requirements etc. stipulated in the Enforcement Regulation.  
15 In the case of 7(b), please 
indicate the type of new 
change(s)  (a)  Termination  
(b)  Suspension  
(c)  Modification of specific details in existing  
procedures:  
 Product coverage;  
 Administrative purpose;  
 Automatic or Non -automatic;  
 Duration of licensing;  
 Change the nature of quantity/value restriction;  
 Eligibility of applicants;  
 Contact information on eligibility;  
 Administrative body(ies) for submission of application;  
 Documentation requirements (including application form);  
 Period for Application;  
 Administrative body(ies) to issue licence;  
 Processing time for issuing licence;  
 Licence fee/administrative charge;  G/LIC/N/2/JPN/5  
 
- 3 - 
 
   Category  Notification details  
 Deposit/advance payment and relevant conditions;  
 Appeal regulations/procedures;  
 Validity of licence;  
 Other conditions of licence (extension, transferability, 
penalty of non -use etc.);  
 Foreign exchange requirements;  
 Other: __________ (please specify).  
 
16  Please elaborate the 
changes in detail (in one of 
the WTO official languages)   
 
 
 
__________