G/SPS/N/JPN/502  
 
13 April 2017  
(17-2018) Page: 1/3 
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 in  national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable):  
 Meat and edible meat offal (HS Codes: 02.01, 02.02, 02.03, 02.04, 02.05,  02.06, 
02.07, 02.08 and 02.09)  
 Dairy produce and birds' eggs (HS  Codes:  04.01, 04.07 and 04.08)  
 Products of animal origin (HS Code: 05.04)  
 Edible vegetables a nd 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, 07.13 and 07.14)  
 Edible fruits 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: 09.01, 09.02, 09.03, 09.04, 09.05, 09.06,  
09.07, 09.08, 09.09 and 09.10)  
 Cereals (HS  Codes: 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04,  10.05, 10.06, 10.07 and 10.08)  
 Oleaginous fruits, miscellaneo us grains, seeds and fruits (HS Codes: 12.01, 12.02, 
12.04, 12.05,  12.06, 12.07, 12.10 and 12.12)  
 Animal or vegetable fats and oils (HS  Codes: 15.01, 15.02 and 15.06)  
 Cacao and cacao preparation s (HS  Code: 18.01)  
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: Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foo ds 
and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act ( Revision of agricultural chemical 
residue standards).  Language(s): English . Number of pages: 5 
http://member s.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/SPS/JPN/17_1841_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural chemical:  
Pesticide: Imidacloprid.  
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.  G/SPS/N/JPN/502  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or se rial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Pesticide Residues in Food and Feed - Pesticide 
Index - 206 Imidacloprid  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Pla nt 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: The draft M RLs for imidacloprid in several commodities 
(barley, rye, buckwheat, etc.) are different from the Codex MRLs, however they are 
substantially consistent taking into account a difference in residue definition for 
agricultural products between Japan and Codex  Alimentarius Commission. Ministry of 
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has set the MRLs in agricultural commodities as 
imidacloprid only since its metabolites containing 6 -chloropyridinyl moiety are the 
common metabolites of other pesticides (e.g. acetamip rid, nitenpyram) which are used 
in Japan, while Codex set as sum of imidacloprid and i ts metabolites containing the 
6-chloropyridinyl moiety, expressed as imidacloprid.  
Regarding wheat flour, wheat bran and dried pepper, the MHLW has decided to delete 
the MRLs and apply MRLs in their raw commodities (wheat and other solanaceous 
vegetables) for such products taking into account their processing factors. According to 
the report of the 2002 JMPR, processing factors of wheat flour, wheat bran and dried 
pepper a re 0.5, 3.5 and 7, respectively. Therefore these deletions will not strengthen the 
current regulation.  
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 fi nal date 
for the comment period.  
11. Proposed date of entry into 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 the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 12 June 2017 . Comments only to updated MRLs 
(marked with black circles and white circles in attached annexes).  
Agency or authority designated to handle comment s: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  G/SPS/N/JPN /502 
 
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  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