G/SPS/N/JPN/797  
 
13 November 2020  
(20-8136) 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  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 
Ireland, 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 United Kingdom 
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent the introduction of H5N8 Highly pathogenic 
avian influenza (HPAI) virus and H5N2 Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) into Japan, 
MAFF has suspended the import of day -old chicks from the entire territory of United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including those shipped through third 
countries, from 4 November 2020 based  on the "Animal Health Requirements for the 
purpose of the import of day -old birds of poultry to Japan from the United Kingdom 
[including the application of compartmentalization in the case of NAI outbreak in the 
United Kingdom (limited to Great Britain)]"  and the Article 37 and 44 of the "Act on 
Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control".  
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 
3 November  2020, an outbreak of H5N8 HPAI was confirmed in a broiler breeder rearing 
farm in the "Cheshire West and Chester" district, Cheshire county of England,  and on 2 
November 2020, an outbreak of H5N2 LPAI was confirmed in a small commercial premises 
in the Dover district, Kent county of England.  G/SPS/N/JPN/797  
 
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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 
Anima l 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 the purpose of the import of day -old birds of 
poultry to Japan from the United Kingdom [including the application of 
compartmentalization in the case of NAI outbreak in the United Kingdom (limited to 
Great  Britain)]"  
http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/kakin -16.pdf  
(Available in English and Japanese)   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  4 
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 Bure au 
Ministry of Foreign 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