G/SPS/N/JPN/488  
 
19 December 2016  
(16-6922) 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 i n national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable):  
 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers (HS Codes: 07.02, 07.09, 07.10 and 
07.13)  
 Edible fruits and nuts, peel of citrus/melons (HS Code: 08 .14) 
 Coffee, tea, mate and spices (HS Codes: 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, 10.07 and 10.08)  
 Oleaginous fruits, miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits (HS Codes: 12.01, 12.02, 
12.04 , 12.05, 12.07 and 12.12)  
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 Specification s for Foods 
and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical 
residue standards) . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 1 
http://members. wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/JPN/16_5213_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: Proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following 
agricultural chemical:  
Pesticide: Thifensulfuron methyl.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [ ]  animal hea lth, [ ]  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:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   
[X] None  
Does t his proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ ] No  G/SPS/N/JPN/488  
 
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  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are availa ble: 
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 commen t 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 effec t 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) : 17 February 2017. 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 83 43 
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp