G/SPS/N/JPN/1430

28 August 2026

(26-5989)

Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

Original: English

2.

Agency responsible: Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA)

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):

• Meat and edible meat offal (HS codes: 02.01, 02.02, 02.03, 02.04, 02.05, 02.06, 02.07, 02.08 and 02.09)

• Dairy produce, birds' eggs and natural honey (HS codes: 04.01, 04.07, 04.08 and 04.09)

• Animal originated products (HS code: 05.04)

• Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers (HS codes: 07.01, 07.02, 07.03, 07.04, 07.05, 07.06, 07.07, 07.08, 07.09, 07.10, 07.13 and 07.14)

• Edible fruit and nuts, peel of citrus fruit (HS codes: 08.01, 08.02, 08.03, 08.04, 08.05, 08.06, 08.07, 08.08, 08.09, 08.10, 08.11 and 08.14)

• Coffee, tea, mate and spices (HS codes: 09.01, 09.02, 09.03, 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, 10.06, 10.07 and 10.08)

• Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit (HS codes: 12.01, 12.02, 12.04, 12.05, 12.06, 12.07, 12.10 and 12.12)

• Animal fats and oils (HS codes: 15.01, 15.02 and 15.06)

• Cacao and cacao preparations (HS code: 18.01)

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 Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. under the Food Sanitation Act (Revision of agricultural chemical residue standards). Language(s): English. Number of pages: 6

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/JPN/26_04466_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: Proposal of maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the following agricultural chemical:

Pesticide: Chlorothalonil.

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): Pesticide Residues in Food and feed – Pesticide Index – 81 – Chlorothalonil

[ ] 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: Welsh onion (including leek):

Although the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has set the MRL Leek at 40 ppm, the CAA proposes not to adopt this CXL. During the review process, the CAA conducted the risk assessment of the chemical by adapting additional toxicological information from the Food Safety Commission. Our assessment indicates the short-term dietary exposure will exceed the limit of ARfD if the CAA adopts the Codex MRL for the commodity. Therefore, the CAA has decided to establish the MRL for Leek at 10 ppm by applying the value we set for Welsh onion, ensuring sufficient consumer safety.

Other vegetables:

As the CXL for Chard is 50 ppm, the CAA carried out the risk assessment of the chemical with additional toxicological information from the Food Safety Commission. As a result, it is found that the short-term dietary exposure will exceed the limit of ARfD, provided that the CAA adopts the CXL for the commodity. Instead, CAA has established the MRLs for Chard at 0.7 ppm based on the domestic supervised trials data on Japanese yam bulbil, ensuring sufficient consumer safety.

9.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Food Sanitation Act (available in English at: https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/ja/laws/view/3687).

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 of the comment period.

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): As soon as possible after the final date of 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 effect 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): 27 October 2026. Comments only to updated MRLs (marked with black circles and/or 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 8343

E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp