G/SPS/N/JPN/429  
 
9 October 2015  
(15-5292)  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 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Live aquatic animals, eggs, and aquatic animal products 
for aquaculture 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: The diseases and the animal species subject to import 
quarantine and detention period  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 4 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/JPN/15_4011_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  
1. The Act on the Protection of the Fishery Resources requires those who intend to 
import aquatic animals provided for in the Enforcement Ordinance of this Act to 
obtain the permission of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF). 
They shall also submit an health certificat e issued by the competent authority of the 
exporting country attesting that the aquatic animal in question are not infected with 
a disease or diseases subject to import quarantine as a result of inspection 
conducted by the authority. 
2. The health certificate required at the time of the import shall be based on the health 
requirements separately agreed between the exporting country and Japan. The 
contents of the health certificate shall include information on the exporting country's 
aquatic animal health management system, the inspection method and the handling method of animals during shipment. 
3. To prevent the invasion of diseases that could potentially cause significant damages 
to the aquaculture industry in Japan, MAFF has established the Expert Committee on Aquatic Animal Disease Control to conduct risk assessments based on the OIE 
Aquatic Animal Health Code and scientific knowledge on the important infectious 
diseases. In light of the risk assessment results, MAFF will amend the Enforcement 
Ordinance of the Act prescribing the diseas es subject to import quarantine and the 
animal species as well as the detention period upon arrival in Japan as described in 
the appendix. 
4. The species of the aquatic animals subject to import quarantine attached are limited 
to: 
a. Live aquatic animals (As for animals intended for human consumption, those 
that will be kept in public waters or facilities draining into these waters after the importation only); 
b. Aquatic animals that are not alive and are intended for aquaculture (including 
processed products but excluding fish meal and fish oil). G/SPS/N/JPN/429 
 
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  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. Is there a relevant international stan dard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
standard or related text)   
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  Aquatic Animal Health Code (2014), 
Chapter 2.1. Import risk analysis and Section 9 - 11 each disease code  
[ ] 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 standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
This amendment is to be publicised in "KAMPO" (Official Government Gazette) when adopted (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 into force: [X] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :   
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 8 December 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Standards Information Service 
International Trade Division 
Economic Affairs Bureau 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku 
Tokyo 100-8919, Japan  
Tel: +(81 3) 5501 8344  Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp 
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Standards Information Service  
International Trade Division Economic Affairs Bureau 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8919, Japan  
Tel: +(81 3) 5501 8344  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp