G/SPS/N/JPN/725  
 
20 February 2020  
(20-1324) 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:  Germany, 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 from the whole 
territory of Germany and that of poultry meat and egg products from the state of 
Baden -Württemberg . Language(s): English . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  In order to prevent the introduction o f H5N8 highly pathogenic 
avian influenza (HPAI) virus into Japan, MAFF has suspended the import of live poultry 
from the whole territory of Germany and that of poultry meat and egg products from the 
state of Baden -Württemberg of Germany, including those sh ipped through third countries . 
This is  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 Germany" and "Animal Health Require ments for poultry meat etc. 
to be exported to Japan from Germany" since 11 February 2020. Poultry meat products 
derived from animals slaughtered on and after 16 January 2020 , and poultry egg products 
derived from eggs laid on and after 16 January 2020 from  the state of Baden -
Württemberg of Germany 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 problem(s) and reason for urgent action:   
An outbreak of H5N8 HPAI were confirmed in a bac kyard poultry farm in the state of 
Baden -Württemberg of Germany on 7 February 2020.  G/SPS/N/JPN/725  
 
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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 proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standa rd:  
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
Current "Animal Health Requirements for day -old chicks and hatching eggs to be exported 
to Japan from Germany" and "Animal Health Requirements for poultry meat etc. to be 
exported to Japan from Germany":  
https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/kakin -12.pdf  
https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/attach/pdf/chicken -meet-77.pdf   
(available in English and Japanese)  
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
11 February 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 Div ision 
Economic Affairs Bureau  
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