In the case of importing plants, except for some plants, plants should be received plant quarantines, attaching a phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine agency in the exporting country.
Furthermore, even if disinfections in transit are voluntarily performed on the high seas prior to the importation, import plant quarantine is implemented.
If the exporting country establishes such measures as disinfection technology against pests and has established areas with no pests, etc. to prevent the entry of pests, importation may be open to the said country after examination or investigation, etc., by item.

1. Plant quarantine is implemented for the purpose of preventing the entry of plant diseases and pests harmful to agricultural products in Japan in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the Plant Protection Law.

2. In the case of importing plant, except for plants with an extremely low risk of disease or pests such as dried seeds including almonds, coconuts and peppers, the importation itself isn't permitted unless a phytosanitary certificate issued by a plant quarantine agency of the exporting country or its copy is attached.

3. Inspections concerning whether plants are contaminated by disease or pests is actually implemented to plants to be imported with a phytosanitary certificate attached. Since plants and pests are not standardized as with industrial products, it is difficult to eliminate all risk through a phytosanitary certificate. Therefore, the procedure for plant quarantine adopted by all countries is to double check for diseases or pests by both of the exporting country and the importing country. Furthermore, in Japan, specific pests are designated as non-quarantine plants or animals to exempt them from measures such as disinfection when detected by import quarantine inspection. Recently, 46 pests were newly designated as those said plants or animals in April 2005.

4. Imported plant inspections actually involve the examination of plants at the time of the importation to inspect whether or not there are diseases or pests. If disinfections in the exporting country or disinfections in transit performed on the high seas are carried out prior to importation to Japan and diseases or pests contaminated in plants are dead, the possibility of passing imported plant inspections in Japan improves significantly so that these are effective means.
However, the imported plant inspections are not omitted because it is necessary to confirm whether diseases or pests contaminate plants. If live diseases or pests are discovered during imported plant inspections, the plants cannot be imported unless necessary quarantine measures are taken, regardless of the presence of disinfecting prior to the importation. However there is a possibility of major damage to plants once disinfecting such re-fumigation is carried out.
Incidentally, in the case of carrying out disinfections in transit performed on the high seas, it is prohibited to use disinfectants remaining, which are harmful to humans from the viewpoint of preventing danger on the transportation, loading and importers.