G/TBT/N/JPN/448/Add.2  
 
11 January 2016  
(16-0208)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
Addendum 
The following communication, dated 8 January 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Japan. 
 
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 Background: For the purpose of coping with the cu rrent change in international situation properly, 
and contributing to export promotion of Japanese agricultural, forestry and fishery products and 
foodstuffs as a result of achieving mutual protection of Geographical Indications (GIs) between the 
parties pursuant to the international agreement, the Government of Japan hereby notifies the draft outline of amendment to the Act on Protection of the Names of Specific Agricultural, Forestry and 
Fishery Products and Foodstuffs (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") to introduce new provisions 
for designating foreign agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foodstuffs, and protecting 
the names of the said products as Geographical Indications (GIs). 
Note: The Act covers agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foodstuffs which fall under any 
of the following items, with the exception of  alcoholic beverages, drugs, and cosmetics: 
1) agricultural, forestry and fishery products (limited to those served for human consumption); 
2) food and beverages; 
3) agricultural, forestry and fishery products (excluding those served for human consumption) 
designated by the Cabinet Order; and 
4) the products manufactured or processed using agricultural, forestry and fishery products as 
materials or ingredients (excluding those served for human consumption) designated by the 
Cabinet Order. 
The main points of the amendment are as follows: 
1. Protection of GIs for agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foodstuffs through 
international agreement: the Minister of Agri culture, Forestry and Fisheries (hereinafter 
referred to as "the Minister") may designate agricultural, forestry and fishery products and foodstuffs which names are protected as GIs in a foreign country which is recognized to 
have an equivalent GI protection system to that of Japan, in case where the said names 
ought to be protected pursuant to an international agreement between the said foreign country and Japan. 
2. Designation Procedure: The Minister shall, when he/she intends to designate agricultural, 
forestry and fishery products and foodstuffs, go through the same procedures as that of 
registration provided in the Act such as publication and opposition procedures. 
Proposed date of adoption: To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into  force: To be determined 
This addendum concerns a: 
[] Modification of final date for comments  
[] Notification of adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation 
[X] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation 
[] Withdrawal of proposed regulation 
[] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into force 
[] Other: Notification of draft implementing regu lations newly added to previous notified draft 
regulation G/TBT/N/JPN/448/Add.2 
 
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  Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scop e of the previously notified measure in terms 
of products and/or potentially affected Member s, a new deadline for receipt of comments should 
be provided, normally of at least 60 calendar days. Under other circumstances, such as extension of originally announced final date for comments, the comment period provided in the addendum 
may vary.)  
[X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or (dd/mm/yy): 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: (+813) 5501 8343 E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp   
Text available from: [] National Notification Auth ority, [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: (+813) 5501 8343 
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
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