G/TBT/N/JPN/673  
14 September 2020  
(20-6139) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  JAPAN   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if diff erent from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Aquatic 
animals and plants  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Act on Ensuring 
the Proper Domestic Distribution and Importation of Specified Aquatic animals and plants 
(1 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  In order to secure proper control on inadequate fishing, MAFF 
will establish the Act to provide requirements for fishers, distributers, importers and 
exporters in terms of designated aquatic animals and plants with a high risk of il legal 
fishing.  This will also regulate imported fish products caught by illegal, unreported and 
unregulated (IUU) fishing.  The requirements include notification of fishing license, record -
keeping of transactions, and certification for import or export. Det ailed regulations of 
notification and certification and the specific list of designated aquatic animals and plants 
will be stipulated in an ordinance.  
A draft Ordinance will be notified to the WTO prior to the entry into force of the Act, after 
consultatio n with the relevant council.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:   
1. To secure proper control on inadequate fishing by regulating distributions of aquatic 
animals and plants.  
2. To protect aquatic resources  
Other  G/TBT/N/JPN/673  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
• "Voluntary Guidelines for Catch Documentation Schemes"   proposed by FAO  
http://www.fao.org/iuu -fishing/international -framework/voluntary -guidelines -
for-catch -documentation -schemes/en/  
• "International Pla n of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported 
and Unregulated Fishing" published by FAO  
http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/71be21c9 -8406-5f66-ac68-
1e74604464e7/  
• "SDGs" proposed by UN - Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, 
seas and marine resources  
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/   
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Within two years of the adoption date  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, 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  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/JPN/20_5410_00_e.pdf