G/TBT/N/JPN/603  
 
5 July 2018  
(18-4223) 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  
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 different 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): Organic 
Plants, Organic Processed Foods, Organic livestock and organic livestock products  
5. Title, number of pag es and language(s) of the notified document: Overview of 
Revisions to the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Organic Plants, Organic Processed 
foods and Organic Livestock etc. ( 1 page, in English) ANNEX1 Draft revision of Japanese 
Agricultural Standard f or Organic Plants (Notification No.1605 of 2005) ANNEX2 Draft 
revision of Japanese Agricultural Standard for Organic Processed Foods (Notification 
No.1606 of 2005) ANNEX3 Draft revision of Japanese agricultural standards for organic 
livestock and organic l ivestock products (Notification No. 1608 of 2005)    
6. Description of content: In the Japanese Agricultural Standards for Organic Plants, 
Organic Processed foods and Organic Livestock etc., the state of labeling (Article 5) will be 
revised. Organic livest ock and organic livestock products are voluntary standards at the 
present moment, but they  are under review to be enforcement standards. 
(G/TBT/N/JPN/580, G/TBT/N/JPN/580/Add.1, G/TBT/N/JPN/581, G/TBT/N/JPN/581/Add.1)  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of consumers' interests. In Japan, labeling of "bio" is recognized to 
be equivalent to "organic". However, items labelled "bio" without being certificated as 
organic are sold now. Therefore, "bio" and Japanese words which have the same meanings 
will be subject to regulation of labelling.  
8. Relevant documents:   
1. The Law Concerning Standardization, etc. of Agricultural and Forestry Products 
(Law No. 175 of 1950)  http://www.maff.go.jp/j/jas/attach/pdf/jas_gaiyou -1.pdf  
2. Enforcement Ordinance of the Law Concerning Standardization, etc. of Agricultural 
and Forestry Products(Government Ordinance N o. 291 of 1951) 
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/jas/attach/pdf/jas_gaiyou -3.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined  G/TBT/N/JPN/603  
 
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  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/2018/TBT/JPN/18_3480_00_e.pdf  
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