G/SPS/N/JPN/798  
 
13 November 2020  
(20-8139) 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 (MAFF)  
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):  Live poultry, poultry meat  and egg products thereof  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Federal republic of Germany, and countries, 
regions or zones approved as free from HPAI and LPAI by Japan 
https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/third -free.html   
5. Title of the notified document:  Import suspension of live poultry from the whole 
territory of Germany and that of poultry meat and egg products from the state of 
Schleswig -Holstein Germany . Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to preven t the introduction of H5N8 highly pathogenic 
avian influenza (HPAI) virus into Japan, MAFF has suspended the import of live poultry 
from the whole territory of Germany and that of poultry meat and egg products from the 
state of Schleswig -Holstein of German y, including those shipped through third countries, 
on 6 November 2020 based on the "Animal Health Requirements for day -old chicks and 
hatching eggs to be exported to Japan from Germany", "Animal Health Requirements for 
poultry meat etc. to be exported to Japan from Germany" and the Article 37 and 44 of 
the "Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control". Poultry meat products derived 
from animals slaughtered on and after 14 October 2020 and poultry egg products derived 
from eggs laid on and after 14 Oc tober 2020 from the state of Schleswig -Holstein of 
Germany are not eligible to be exported to Japan, taking into consideration the incubation 
period of the HPAI virus stipulated in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] 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:  
On 4 November 2020, an outbreak of H5N8 HPAI was confirmed in a farm for layer poultry 
in the state of Schleswig -Holstein of Germany.  G/SPS/N/JPN/798  
 
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  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) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapter 10.4. "Infection with avian 
influenza viruses".  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] 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:  Current 
"Animal Health Requirements for day -old chicks and hatching eggs to be exported to 
Japan from Germany" and "Animal Health Requirements for poultry meat etc. to be 
exported to Japan from Germany"  
http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/kakin -21.pdf  
http://www.maff.go .jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/chicken -meet-77.pdf  
(Available in English and Japanese)   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
6 November 2020  
[ ] 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:   
Japan Enquiry Point  
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Forei gn Affairs  
Fax: +(8131) 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:   
Japan Enquiry Point  
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
Fax: +(8131) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp