G/SPS/N/JPN/405  
 
7 May 2015  
(15-2438)  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 
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): HS Codes: 060210, 060220, 060290, plants for planting 
(excluding seed and fruit) of the host of Xylella fastidiosa  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, 
Iran, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, Ch inese Taipei, Turkey, United States of 
America (excluding Hawaiian Islands) and Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of  
5. Title of the notified document: Emergency measures to reduce the risk of 
introduction of Xylella fastidiosa  through the importation of plants for planting (excluding 
seed and fruit) of the host of X. fastidiosa   Language(s): English  Number of pages: 2 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/JPN/15_1861_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: In order to reduce the risk of introduction of Xylella fastidiosa  
into Japan, the host plants for planting (excluding seeds and fruits) of X. fastidiosa  listed 
in the annex (link in Item 5) produced in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, 
Iran, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, Chines e Taipei, Turkey, United States of America 
(excluding Hawaiian Islands) and Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of, where X. fastidiosa  
is known to occur are subject to the following additional import requirements: 
The plants must be accompanied with an official government Phytosanitary Certificate 
stating the following additional declaration: 
– The samples taken from the plants in their leafing stage were tested for Xylella 
fastidiosa by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method or Enzyme-Linked Immuno 
Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method and found to be free of X. fastidiosa . 
The plants accompanying a Phytosanitary Certificate issued before 9 May 2015 with no 
additional declaration mentioned above may be allowed to import, subject to inspection 
of all the plants for X. fastidiosa  at entry points of Japan. 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/JPN/405 
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s)  and reason for urgent action: Xylella fastidiosa  is 
a bacterium that can infect a wide range of plants species and the disease could cause serious damage. In addition, the bacterium is recently reported to have spread in some 
parts of Europe. The reason for the urgent action is to prevent the introduction of the 
bacterium into Japan from those countries where the bacterium is known to occur.  
9. Is there a relevant international stan dard? 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 Health Code, chapter number)   
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number) IPPC 
Article 7 and IPSM 1 
[ ] 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:   
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
The date of this notification circulated. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
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 
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Noti fication Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if availabl e) of other body: