G/SPS/N/JPN/500  
 
27 January 2017  
(17-0551) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: JAPAN  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified i n national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable):  
 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers (HS Codes: 07.01, 07.02, 07.03, 
07.04, 07.05, 07.06, 07.07, 07.08, 07.09, 07.10 and 07.14)  
 Edible fr uits and nuts, peel of citrus/melons (HS Codes: 08.01, 08.02, 08.03, 08.04, 
08.05, 08.06, 08.07, 08.08, 08.09, 08.10, 08.11 and 08.14)  
 Coffee, tea, mate and spices (HS Codes: 09.02, 09.03, 09.04, 09.05, 09.06, 09.07, 
09.08, 09.09 and 09.10)  
 Cereals (HS Cod es: 10.01 and 10.03)  
 Oleaginous fruits, miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits (HS Codes: 12.04, 12.05, 
12.06, 12.07 and 12.12)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific r egions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods 
and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical 
residue standards) . Language(s): English . Number of pages:  4 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/JPN/17_0577_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural ch emicals:  
Pesticides: Dazomet, Metam and Methyl isothiocyanate.  
Dazomet, Metam and Metyl isothiocyanate are used as pesticide respectively. Dazomet 
and Metyl isothiocyanate can be readily metabolized to Metyl isothiocyanate in plants. 
Therefore, Japan is co nsidering the MRL as a group of these substances.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [ ]  animal health, [ ]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is ther e a relevant international standard? If so, 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 Healt h Code, chapter number) :   G/SPS/N/JPN/500  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] 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 devi ates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 
Food Sanitation Act (available in English). When adopted, these MRLs are to be 
published in Kampo (Official Government Gazette)  (available in  Japanese).  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : As soon as possible after the final date for 
the comment period.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : As soon as possible after the final date 
for the comment period.  
11. Proposed date of entry in to force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : These proposed standards will take effect after a certain period 
of grace.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of t he 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 28 March 2017. Comments only to updated MRLs 
(marked with black circles and white circles in attached annexes).  
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:   
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 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp