. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/JPN/135 
4 February 2005 
 (05-0461) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   JAPAN
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Aquatic animals 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
countries.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   A m e n d m e n t  o f   t h e  
Fisheries Resources Conservation Act (available in English, 2 pages). 
6. Description of content:   
1. An international aquatic animal health certifi cate, issued by the competent authority of 
the exporting country, is required for the importation of aquatic animals which are 
listed in the Ministerial Ordinance.  The diseases from which the competent authority of 
the exporting country must verify that im ported aquatic animals is free include non 
OIE-listed diseases (ex. Koi Herpes Virus Disease).  
2. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fi sheries may order an importer to detain the 
imported aquatic animals if the certificate attached to the aquatic animals does not verify that they are free from diseases li sted in the Ministerial Ordinance.  
3. A person who is ordered to detain the aqua tic animals shall have the aquatic animals 
examined for a diagnosis when the person finds  or suspects that the aquatic animals are 
infected with diseases listed in the Minister ial Ordinance.  If the aquatic animals are 
proved to be infected with the diseases, th e Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and 
Fisheries may order the person to burn, bu ry or disinfect the aquatic animals. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [   ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   These proposed regulati ons are substantially the 
same as the content of the OIE "Aquatic An imal Health Code 2004";  however, Japan 
submits the notification only because the propo sed rules possibly include several diseases 
which are not listed in the OIE "A quatic Animal Health Code 2004". G/SPS/N/JPN/135 
Page 2  
 
 9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  This draft law will 
appear in "KANPO" (Officia l Government Gazette) in Japanese when promulgated. 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   The date of promulgation (to be announced in the Official 
Government Gazette). 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   The date within 6 months from promulgation (to be 
announced in the Official  Government Gazette). 
12. Final date for comments:  15 April 2005 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notificati on authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: