. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/JPN/90
6 December 2002
(02-6752)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
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 should be provided in addition, where
applicable):   Prairie dogs
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
All countries exporting prairie dogs to Japan
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:
Amendment of the government ordinance based on "the Law Concerning the Prevention of
Infections and Medical Care for Patients of Infections" in order to reinforce measures
against importation of animals that could carry pathogens of infectious disease (available in
English 1 page).
6. Description of content:
In order to prevent prairie dogs infected w ith plague from entering Japan, the import of
prairie dogs to Japan is prohibited.
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease,  [   ]  protect territory from
other damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  This Regulation will
appear in "KAMPO" (Official Government Ga zette) when adopted, (available in Japanese).
10. Proposed date of adoption:   As soon as possible after the amendment of the government
ordinance.
11. Proposed date of entry into force: As soon as possible after the amendment of the
government ordinance.G/SPS/N/JPN/90
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:   20 January 2003
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 notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: