G/SPS/N/JPN/591  
 
30 July 2018  
(18-4800) 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, 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, 07.0 8, 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: 09.02, 09.03, 09.04, 09.05, 09.06, 0 9.07, 
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, 
12.07 and 12.12)  
 Animal or vegetable fats and oils (HS Codes: 15.01, 15.02, 15.06 and 15.12)  
 Residues and waste from the food industries (HS Code: 23.02)  
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: 5 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/JPN/18_4074_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural chemical:  
Pesticide/Veterinary drug: Spinosad.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage f rom pests.  G/SPS/N/JPN/591  
 
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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/Veterinary drug Residues in Food and feed - 
Pesticide/Veterinary drug Index - 203 - Spinosad  
[ ] 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 propose d regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
Rice (brown rice ) 
The portion of commodities to which MRLs apply and which are analyzed are different from 
that of Codex for some commodities such as rice (brown rice). The portion of the 
commodity to which is analyzed in Japan is "husked seeds", while that of Codex is "whole 
commodity". As such, Japan estimates MRL in rice (brown ri ce) (0.1 ppm) by using 
processing factor based on the Codex MRL for rice (1 ppm) (the JMPR estimated the 
processing factor of 0.11 for rice (brown rice).  
Water melon, Melons and Makuwauri melon  
The portion of commodities to which MRLs apply and which are analyzed are different from 
that of Codex for some commodities such as water melon, melons, and makuwauri melon. 
The portion of those commodities 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 MRLs in water melon (0.1 ppm) and melons (0.1 ppm) 
based on residue data from supervised trials which were conducted according to the  Good 
Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Japan. Japan also proposes MRL in makuwauri melon 
(0.02  ppm) based on residue data from supervised trials which were conducted according 
to the GAPs in the USA, instead of Codex MRL.  
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 remove d" or 
"with the skins removed", while that of Codex is both "whole commodity". As such, Japan 
proposes MRL in unshu orange (pulp) (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. And Japan doesn't set MRL in kiwifruit because information 
necessary for setting MRL (i.e. the use of this pesticide and residue trial data for such 
commodities) is not available.  
Wheat bran  
The current MRL of 2 ppm in whe at bran will be deleted because the MRL of 2 ppm in 
wheat has been set on the basis of the submitted data. MRLs in raw agricultural 
commodities apply to their processed commodities (including wheat bran) taking into 
account the processing factors (the JMPR  estimated the processing factor of 3.0 for wheat 
bran). Therefore, the deletion of MRL in wheat bran 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.  G/SPS/N/JPN/591  
 
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  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) : 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 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