Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification - Japan - Live horses

NOTIFICATION

1.

Notifying Member: JAPAN

If applicable, name of local government involved:

2.

Agency responsible: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

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): Live horses

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: Animal health requirements for horses competing in the Asian Games 2026. Language(s): English. Number of pages: 10

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/JPN/26_00322_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: Japan will host the equestrian competitions of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which will be held from 19 September to 4 October 2026. To facilitate the smooth cross-border movement of horses, the animal health requirements for horses competing in the Asian Games 2026 have been established. Under the requirements, the horses are required to stay only in countries/regions that have bilateral animal health requirements with Japan during the 60 days prior to the commencement of the 10-day pre-export quarantine before departure for Japan. These countries/regions have already undergone the required risk assessment procedures. Among these countries /regions, the horses are required to undergo the pre-export quarantine in a specific country/region, which was designated by the organizing committee for logistical reasons. Other details, including testing and vaccination requirements, are also set out in the requirements.

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.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[ ]        Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text):

[X]       World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number): Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 4.17. High health status horse subpopulation, Chapter 5.12. Model passport for international movement of competition horses

[ ]        International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number):

[ ]        None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?

[X] Yes   [ ] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard:

9.

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

10.

Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy): 23 December 2025

Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy): 16 January 2026

11.

Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or (dd/mm/yy): 23 December 2025

[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:

Japan Enquiry Point

International Trade Division

Economic Affairs Bureau

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343

E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp

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