G/SPS/N/JPN/864  
 
30 August 2021  
(21-6487) Page: 1/3 
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 for planting of the following plants:  
sweet pepper (chili peppers, shishito pepper, bell pepper) ( Capsicum annuum ), tomato 
(including Lycopersicon esculentum  (= Solanum lycopersicum ), S. arcanum , 
S. cheesmaniae , S. chilense , S. galapagense , S. peruvianum , S. pimpinellifolium ), 
Solanum sisymbriifolium , potato ( Solanum tuberosum ), Petunia  
Live plants and plant parts being capable of planting for cultivation (excluding seed and 
fruit) of the following plants:  
Atriplex semilunaris , avocado ( Persea americana ), black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum ), 
apple of Peru ( Nicandra physalodes ), Conyza bonariensis , cape goo seberry ( Physalis 
peruviana ), marmalade bush ( Streptosolen jamesonii ), ground cherry ( Physalis angulata ), 
Solanum rantonnetii , thorn apple ( Datura leichhardtii ), jerusalem cherry ( Solanum 
pseudocapsicum ), Solanum jasminoides , sweet pepper (chili peppers, s hishito pepper, bell 
pepper) ( Capsicum annuum ), tomato (including Lycopersicon esculentum  (= Solanum 
lycopersicum ), S. arcanum , S. cheesmaniae , S. chilense , S. galapagense , S. peruvianum , 
S. pimpinellifolium ), Solanum sisymbriifolium , potato ( Solanum tuber osum ), pepino 
(Solanum muricatum ), Rhagodia eremaea , Calibrachoa , Cestrum , Dahlia , Brugmansia , 
Petunia  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Kazakhstan, Kenya, Pakistan, Uganda  
5. Title of the notified document:  Emergency measures to prevent Potato spindle tuber 
viroid  (PSTVd) from entering Japan through the importation of seeds and plants of host 
plants of PSTVd . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 3 
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent PSTVd from entering Japan, the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) 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 Potato spindle tuber viroid ; or 
ii) the seeds are tested prior to export by an appropriate genetic method such as 
RT-PCR assay and found to be free from Potato spindle tuber viroi d; 4,600  seeds 
are randomly taken from a lot as samples in accordance with the International 
Seed Testing Association (ISTA) procedures or 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 G/SPS/N/JPN/864  
 
- 2 - 
 
  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 randomly 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 Potato spindle tuber 
viroid . 
In addition, the NPPO will be required to declare as below in the column of Additional 
declaration of Phytosanitary Certificate.  
"Fulfills item 24 of the Annexed Table 2 -2 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant 
Protection Act (MAF Ordinance No. 73/1950 )." 
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:  PSTVd is one of the 
most serious pests for Japan. In order to prevent PSTVd from entering Japan, an additional 
declaration is to be provided in Phytosanitary Certificate for the import of seeds and plants 
of host plants of PSTVd. This is the  urgent action before the revision of the Ordinance for 
Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act based on the newly confirmed information that 
PSTVd is occurring in Kazakhstan, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda.  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If s o, 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 Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] Internation al 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:  
Table  2-2, MAF Ordinance No. 73/1950  
http://www.maff.go.jp/pps/j/law/houki/shorei/E_Annexed_Table2 -2_from_20210428.htm  
(available in English)  
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/pe riod of application (as applicable):  
30 days 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  G/SPS/N/JPN/864  
 
- 3 - 
 
  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