WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/JPN/65
19 February 2001
(01-0788)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying: JAPAN
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable:  Meat, viscera derived from cattle, sheep, goat and water buffalo, meat products
made from the said meat and viscera (hereinafter livestock meat, etc.)  Regions or
countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Amendment of the food safety
control measures for animal diseases
5. Description of content:  To reduce and prevent risks, the Japanese government urgently
decided to prohibit the importation, selling or processing of livestock meat, etc. derived
from livestock which suffered from or was suspected to suffer from Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE).
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  The sudden increase in the number TSE cases in
European countries despite the control measures previously in place.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  The basic law is the
Food Sanitation Law.  The said amendments appeared in "KAMPO" (Official Government
Gazette) when adopted.  (Available in Japanese)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  15 February 2001
11. Texts available from/and 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:           