G/SPS/N/JPN/813  
 
10 December 2020 
(20-8914) 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 and egg produ cts thereof  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  the Netherlands, 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 and egg products 
from the compartments No. 7, 8 and 11 of the Netherlands . Language(s): . Number of 
pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent the introduction of H5N8 highly pathogenic 
avian influenza (HPAI) virus into Japan, MAFF has suspended the import of day -old chicks 
and hatching eggs of poultry, and liquid poultry eggs from the compartments No. 7, 8 
and 11 of the Netherlands, including those shipped through third countries, from 
17 November 2020 based on the "Animal Health Requirements for day -old chicks and 
hatching eggs of poultry to be exported to Japan from the Kingdom of the Netherlands" 
and the Articles 37 and 44 of the "Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control".  
Taking into consideration the incubation period of the HPAI virus stipulated in the OIE 
Terrestrial Animal Health Code, poultry products attached with health certificates attesting 
that the products were produced on and before 21 October 2020 and were stor ed and 
handled in a way to prevent exposure of pathogens of any animal infectious diseases prior 
to shipment will be the exception from the suspension.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect human s 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 13 November 
2020, an outbreak of H5N8 HPAI was confirmed in a commercial duck farm in Telworde, 
province of Gelderland, Netherlands.  G/SPS/N/JPN/813  
 
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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 propos ed 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 of poultry to 
be exported to Japan from the Kingdom of the Netherlands" 
http://www .maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/kakin -20.pdf  (available in English and 
Japanese)  
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
17 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 Foreign Affairs  
Fax: +(81 31) 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: +(81 31) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp