G/SPS/N/JPN/828  
 
4 February 2021  
(21-0917) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  JAPAN  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries  
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):  Seeds and plants of tomato (including Lycopersicon esculentum 
(= Solanum lycopersicum ), S. arcanum, S. cheesmaniae, S. chile nse, S. galapagense, 
S. peruvianum, S. pimpinellifolium ) and sweet pepper (chili peppers, shishito pepper, 
bell pepper) ( Capsicum annuum ) 
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:  Emergency measures to prevent Tomato brown rugose 
fruit virus  (ToBRFV ) from entering Japan through the importation of host seeds and plants 
of ToBRFV . Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent ToBRFV from entering Japan, the Ministry 
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAF F) will require National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPO) of exporting countries to certify that:  
a) for seeds,  either: 
i. the samples randomly taken from parent plants and ones with suspected 
symptoms are tested during harvest period by an appropriate genetic method 
such as RT -PCR assay and found to be free from Tomato brown rugose fruit 
virus; or 
ii. the seeds are tested prior t o export by an appropriate genetic method such as 
RT-PCR assay and found to be free from Tomato brown rugose fruit virus ; 
4,600  seeds are randomly taken from a lot as samples in accordance with the 
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) procedures o r in case that the 
number of seeds of a lot is less than 46,000, 10% of the seeds are used for the 
testing; they are divided into at most 400 seeds as sub -samples; or,  
b) for live plants and plant parts for planting (excluding seeds and fruits):  
i. the plants ra ndomly taken from a lot and plants with suspected symptoms are 
tested during the growing season or prior to export by an appropriate genetic 
method such as RT -PCR assay and found to be free from Tomato brown rugose 
fruit virus . 
In addition, the NPPO will be required to declare as below in the column of Additional 
declaration of Phytosanitary Certificate.  
"Fulfills item 36 of the Annexed Table 2 -2 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant 
Protection Act (MAF Ordinance No . 73/1950) ", previously circ ulated in G/SPS/N/JPN/712.  G/SPS/N/JPN/828  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  ToBRFV is spreading 
worldwide. In order to prevent ToBRFV from entering Japan, an additional declaration is 
to be provided in Phytosanitary Certificate for the import of seeds and plants of tomato 
(Solanum lycopersicum ) and sweet pepper ( Capsicum annuum ). This is the urgent action 
before the revision of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act, which 
will be notified in due co urse. 
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aqu atic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : 
IPPC Article 7 and ISPM 1  
[ ] 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:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
30 days later after the date of this notification.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. 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:   
Standards Information Service  
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku 
Tokyo 100 -8919, Japan  
Tel: +(81 3) 5501 8344  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Standards Information Service  
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku 
Tokyo 100 -8919, Japan  
Tel: +(81 3) 5501 8344  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp