G/SPS/N/JPN/729  
 
20 March 2020  
(20-2238) 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  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  The United States of America, and countries, 
regions or zones* approved as free from HPAI and LPAI by Japan 
*http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/third -free.html  
5. Title of the notified document:  Import suspension of live poultry, poultry meat and 
egg products from the state of North Carolina of the United States of America . 
Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent the introduction of H7 Low pathogenic avian 
influenza (LPAI) virus into Japan, the MAFF has suspended the import of live poultry, 
poultry meat and egg products from the state of North Carolina of the United States of 
America, including  those shipped through third countries, based on Articles 37 and 44 of 
the "Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control", "Animal Health Requirements 
for day old chicks and hatching eggs to be exported to Japan from the United States" and 
"Animal Hea lth Requirements for the poultry meat etc. to be exported to Japan from the 
U.S." since 17 March 2020. Poultry meat products derived from animals slaughtered on 
and after 17 February 2020 and poultry egg products derived from eggs laid on and after 
17 Febr uary 2020 from the area within a 10 km radius of the affected farms in the State 
of North Carolina of the United States of America are not eligible to be exported to Japan, 
taking into consideration the incubation period of the AI 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 pr oblem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Outbreaks of 
H7 LPAI were confirmed in two turkey farms in the state of North Carolina of the 
United  States of America.  G/SPS/N/JPN/729  
 
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  9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimenta rius 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) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] 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 
"Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control", "Animal Health Requirements for 
day old chicks and hatching eggs to be exported to Japan from the United States" and 
"Animal Health Requirements for the poultry meat etc. to be exported to Japan  from the 
U.S.":  
− http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/pdf/25 -186us.pdf  
− http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/chicken -meet-82.pdf  
(available in English and Japanese)   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
17 March 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  
Ministr y 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