Annex 2: Procedure for temporary measures to accept scanned or hard copies of export 
certificates for animal health 
 
Option 1 
For the countries having the system that can verify issued certificates through the internet 
 
1. Competent authority of the exporting country should send an e-mail to “iqp@maff.go.jp” 
with official letter stating the procedure necessary for utilizing the system. 
 
1-1. For example, providing us with the website address where the data of issued certificates 
are stored, ID number and its password. 
1-2. Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) will confirm that the hard copies of the 
certificates submitted by the importer are issued by the competent authority of exporting 
country by that system. 
 
2. The competent authorities of exporting country should issue and send the original certificate 
to the exporter or importer as soon as the operation returns to normal. 
 
3. The importer must submit the original certificate to Japanese AQS at the port of entry, 
immediately upon the receipt of the original from the competent authority of the exporting 
country. 
 
 
Option 2 
For the countries having no system as above Option 1. 
 
 Request for temporary measures under outbreak of COVID-19 
 
1. Competent authority of the exporting country should send an e-mail to “iqp@maff.go.jp” 
with official letter stating that the country would like to apply for the temporary measures in 
these documents.  
 
2. In response to the e-mail, the Animal Health Division (AHD) of MAFF will inform the 
exporting country of the e-mail addresses of Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (AQS)*, 
to which the exporting country should send the scanned copies of health certificates, and 
request the list of the authorized e-mail addresses from the exporting country .  
 
*We will prepare three types of addresses for live animals, animal products and pets (dogs 
and cats). 
 
 Registration of authorized e-mail address 
 
3. When AHD receives the list of authorized e-mail address, AHD will communicate the list to 
Japanese AQS, and Japanese AQS will register the authorized e-mail addresses. 
 
 Submission of export certificate 
   
4. The competent authority of exporting country should send the scanned certificates by e-mails 
together with necessary information required by AHD. The detail of the information to be 
included in the e-mails will be notified by AHD to the competent authority of exporting 
country in the e-mail mentioned in the paragraph 2 above. 
 
5. The competent authority of exporting country should issue and send the scanned certificate 
to the exporter or importer. 
 
6. The importers should submit the hard copy of scanned certificate to Japanese AQS at a port 
of entry, and Japanese AQS will conduct the import inspection. As a result of the import 
inspection, the hard copy of certificate which is confirmed to be identical to the scanned 
certificate from authorized e-mail address will be accepted as authentic. 
 
 Issuance of original certificate 
 
7. The competent authority of exporting country should issue and send the original certificate 
to the exporter or importer as soon as the operation returns to normal. 
 
8.The importer must submit the original certificate to Japanese AQS at the port of entry, 
immediately upon the receipt of the original from the competent authority of the exporting 
country. 
 
 
When needed, further details of practical procedure may be provided upon request from the 
competent authority of the exporting country.