G/SPS/N/JPN/601  
 
23 October 2018  
(18-6648) 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 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)  
 Animal originated products (HS Code: 05.04)  
 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers (HS Codes: 07.02, 07.03, 07.04, 07.05, 
07.07, 07.09 and 07.10)  
 Edible fruit and  nuts and peel of citrus fruit (HS Codes: 08.03, 08.05, 08.08, 08.09, 
08.10 and 08.11)  
 Mate (HS Code: 09.03)  
 Cereals (HS Codes: 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04, 10.05, 10.06, 10.07 and 10.08)  
 Animal fats and oils (HS Codes: 15.01, 15.02 and 15.06)  
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 Foods 
and Food Additives under the  Food Sanitation Act (revision of agricultural chemical residue 
standards) . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 3 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/JPN/18_5566_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  
Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemical  
Pesticide: Acibenzolar -S-methyl  
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 there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commiss ion (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  Pesticide Residues in Food and Feed - Pesticide 
Index - 288 – Acibenzolar -S-methyl  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter  number) :  G/SPS/N/JPN/601  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
Unshu orange (pulp) and Kiwifruit  
The portion of commodities to which MRLs apply and which are analyzed are different 
from that of Codex for some commodities such as unshu orange (pulp) and kiwifruit. Each 
portion of those commodities to which is analyzed in Japan is "with the peels removed" 
or "with the skins removed", while that of Codex is both "whole commodity". As such, 
Japan doesn't set MRLs in unshu orange (pulp) and kiwifruit because information 
necessary for setting MRLs (i.e. the use of this pesticide and residue trial data for such 
commodities) is not available.  
Peach  
The portion of commodities to which MRLs apply and which are analyzed are different 
from that of Codex for some commodities such as peach. The portion of the com modity 
to which is analyzed in Japan is "whole commodity after removal of skins and stones", 
while that of Codex is "whole commodity after removal of stems and stones". As such, 
Japan doesn't set MRL in peach because information necessary for setting MRL ( i.e. the 
use of this pesticide and residue trial data for such commodities) is not available.  
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 fin al 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) : 22 December 2018 . Comments only to updated 
MRLs (marked with black circles and white circles in attached annexes)  
Agency or authority designated to handle comm ents: [  ] 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 a nd 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