G/SPS/N/JPN/590  
 
30 July 2018  
(18-4798) 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)  
 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates (HS Codes: 03.02, 
03.03 and 03.04)  
 Dairy produce, birds' eggs and natural honey (HS Codes: 04.01, 04.07 and 04.08)  
 Products of animal origin (HS Code: 05.04)  
 Edible vegetables and 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: 08.02, 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: 09.03, 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, miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits (HS Codes : 12.01, 12.02, 
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 preparations (HS Codes: 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 Foods 
and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (revision of agricultural chemical residue 
standards) . Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 4 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/JPN/18_4073_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Proposed maximum residue  limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural chemical:  
Pesticide: Metalaxyl and Metalaxyl -M. 
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/590  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Pesticide Residues in Food and feed - Pesticide 
Index  - 138 - Metalaxyl  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed re gulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
Water melon  
The portion of commodities to which MRLs apply and which are analyzed are d ifferent from 
that of Codex for some commodities such as water melon. The portion of the commodity to 
which is analyzed in Japan is "edible portions after removal of inedible peel", while that of 
Codex is "whole commodity after removal of stems". As such, Japan proposes MRL in 
water melon (0.1 ppm) based on residue data from supervised trials which were conducted 
according to the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Japan, instead of Codex MRL.  
Dried pepper  
The current MRL of 10 ppm in dried pepper will be  deleted because the MRL of 1 ppm in 
other solanaceous vegetables has been set on the basis of the Codex MRL. MRLs in raw 
agricultural commodities apply to their processed commodities (including dried pepper) 
taking into account the processing factors (the  JMPR estimated the processing factor of 10 
for dried pepper). Therefore, the deletion of MRL in dried pepper 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 final 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 o f 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) : 28 September 2018 Comments only to updated MRLs 
(marked with black circles and white circles in attached annexes).  
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:  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notificat ion 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