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 in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): Food additive (beta-Apo-8'-carotenal)

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: Amendment to the Enforcement Ordinance of the Food Sanitation Law and the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 5

http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/JPN/14_0894_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: Authorization of beta-Apo-8'-carotenal as food additives and establishment of standards and specifications.

7.

Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] 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:

[X]     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)  

[ ]       None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard? 

[ ] Yes   [X] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard: Beta-Apo-8'-carotenal is not permitted in fresh fish/shellfish (including fresh whale meat), konbu (kelp)/wakame (both Laminariales algae), legumes/pulses, meat, nori (laver), tea, or vegetables to prevent consumers from being misled about the identity or quality of food.

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

Food Sanitation Law. When adopted, this amendment will be published in Kampo, the official Japanese Governmental Gazette (available in Japanese).

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): As soon as possible.

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): As soon as possible.

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): As soon as possible after publication.

[X]     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.

Texts 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 8343

E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp