Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - Notification of emergency measures - Japan - Pig meat and products thereof

NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES

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): Pig meat and products thereof

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[ ]      All trading partners

[X]     Specific regions or countries: Spain, and countries, regions or zones approved as free from rinderpest, FMD, ASF and CSF by Japan

          htps://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/third-free.html

5.

Title of the notified document: Import suspension of pig meat from Spain. Language(s): . Number of pages:

6.

Description of content: In order to prevent the introduction of African swine fever (ASF) virus into Japan, MAFF has suspended the import of pig meat and products thereof from Spain, including those shipped through third countries, from on 28 November 2025 based on the "Animal health requirements for meat and viscera derived from pigs and sausages, ham and bacon made from the said meat and viscera as raw materials to be exported to Japan from Spain" and the Articles 37 and 44 of the "Act on Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control".

Pig meat and products thereof derived from animals slaughtered on and after 30 October 2025, as well as live pigs, pig meat and products thereof transported from Spain to other countries on and after 30 October 2025 are not eligible to be exported to Japan, taking into consideration the incubation period of the ASF virus stipulated in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

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.

Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: An outbreak of ASF was confirmed in a wild boar presumed dead in the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès, in the comarca of Vallès Occidental, Barcelona on 26 November 2025.

9.

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): Chapter 15.1. " Infection with African swine fever virus"

[ ]        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:

10.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Current "Animal health requirements for meat and viscera derived from pigs and sausages, ham and bacon made from the said meat and viscera as raw materials to be exported to Japan from Spain"

https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/hou/require/pdf/14-996sp.pdf (available in English and Japanese)

11.

Date of entry into force (dd/mm/yy)/period of application (as applicable): 28 November 2025

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure

12.

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 31) 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 31) 5501 8343

E-mail:enquiry@mofa.go.jp