G/SPS/N/JPN/575  
 
22 May 2018  
(18-2993) 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 Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)  
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): New specification of paper and stamp for the official Export 
Quarantine Certificate is sued by Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (AQS)  
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: Export Quarantine Certificate (Annex  1), Stamp 
(Annex  2). Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/JPN/18_2491_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/JPN/18_2491_01_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: AQS is going to use special paper for the official Export 
Quaran tine Certificates to improve  the authenticity of Japanese animal health certificate s. 
The paper has the following specification for the purpose of forgery prevention: 
(see Annex  1 of notified document)  
1. Copy-protected paper (term "copy" both in English and Japanese appears when 
copied) ; 
2. Holographic Japanese national flag printed at the bottom left ; 
3. "Animal Quarantine Service" in large font and "Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan" both in English and Japanese in small font 
printed as the background.  
In addition to above, new stamp (see Annex 2 of notified document) will be used in 
attachments to the front page, if any.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] prote ct 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) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 
Article  5.1.3  G/SPS/N/JPN/575  
 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
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 available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June  2018  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 June 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 1 June  2018  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
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:   
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku 
Tokyo 100 -8919, Japan  
Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp