(1) PURPOSE OF THE LAW AND SYSTEM
The objective of this law is to prevent pathogen causing infectious diseases
nonexistent in Japan from entering the country through vessels or aircraft,
and to take measures necessary for prevention of other infectious diseases
borne through vessels or aircraft.
(2) OUTLINE OF THE LAW AND SYSTEM
Regarding vessels or aircraft having left or visited a foreign country,
or encountered and embarked persons or material from a foreign country,
their entry into Japan, by land or by sea, will be forbidden unless such
vessel or aircraft receives a Free Pratique, or Provisory Free Pratique,
except for cases where enter into designated areas such as quarantine area,
or persons or materials on board have already been confirmed by the Chief
of the Quarantine Station to the effect that they are not contaminated
by pathogenic microorganism causing quarantine infectious diseases (Article
4 and Proviso 1 of Article 5).
(3) CABINET ORDER AND MINISTERIAL ORDINANCES
Enforcement Order of the Quarantine Law
Enforcement Regulations of the Quarantine Law
(4) OUTLINE OF CONTROL
1) Items Covered
"Quarantine infectious diseases, suspected infections and or carriers of these diseases" (Article 2 and 2-2).
Quarantine infectious diseases refers to "category I infectious diseases" (Ebola haemorrhagic fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, severe acute respiratory syndrome (limited to those with SARS Coronavirus as pathogen), smallpox, plague, Marburg disease and Lassa fever) prescribed by the Law Concerning the Prevention of Infectious Disease and Medical Care for Patients of infections, and cholera, yellow fever, and infectious diseases nonexistent in Japan but which require inspection to confirm whether those pathogens exist or not for the purpose of prevention from entering the country (Article 2).
2) Outline of Specifications, Standards and Inspections, etc.
i. Procedure for application
The captains of vessels, etc. intending to receive quarantine procedures must preliminarily inform the Chief of Quarantine Station through any adequate method matters prescribed in the ordinances of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, such as whether or not patients suffering from or who have died from quarantine infectious diseases are on board the vessel, etc. (Article 6). Captains of vessels, etc. applying for quarantine procedures must file with the Chief of the Quarantine Station, a General Declaration stating the name or registration number of his vessel, etc., the name of place of passage, the name of place of registration or port of call, or other matters ministerial ordinance prescribes (Article 11).
ii. Implementation of quarantine
When a vessel enters a designated quarantine area, the Chief of Quarantine Station must commence quarantine, except if unavoidable circumstances such as poor weather conditions exist (Article 10).
iii. Certification
The Chief of the Quarantine Station may issue a Free Pratique when deemed necessary from the results of quarantine or notification prior to entry, etc. when no risk of quarantine infectious diseases entering Japan brought by vessels, etc. exists (Article 17). If the Chief of Quarantine Station does not issue a Free Pratique, he may issue a Provisory Free Pratique valid for a fixed period if it is deemed that little risk of spreading into Japan pathogenic micro-organism causing quarantine infectious diseases brought by vessels, etc exists. In this case, the Chief of the Quarantine Station or quarantine official shall request those who are in danger of suffering from quarantine infectious diseases, but are not stopped at the quarantine station, to show his/her passport, address, contact information, name, and schedule of trip, etc., and to report on or answer about physical condition such as his/her temperature for a fixed period. As a result, if the Chief of the Quarantine Station or quarantine official found those who appeared to be in bad physical condition, they shall instruct the said person on what is necessary for prevention from quarantine infectious diseases, and inform prefectural governor administering his/her address of the instructed matters, etc. (Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 18).
(5) HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RECENT AMENDMENT
In accordance with amendment of the Law Concerning Medical Treatment for Patient Suffering from Infectious Diseases, Quarantine Law was amended in consideration of prevention from prevalence of SARS in Japan (enforced in November 2003).
1) Confirmations, etc. of physical condition of person in danger of suffering from quarantine infectious diseases after immigration (in relation to Article 18), the Chief of the Quarantine Station is now qualified to request those persons to show his/her passport, address, contact information, name, and schedule of trip, etc., and to report on or answer about physical condition such as his/her temperature for a fixed period.
2) Medical examination by doctor on new infectious diseases (in relation to Article 34-2):
Incases of any outbreak of new infectious diseases abroad, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may order the Chief of the Quarantine Station to conduct medical examination against persons with chances of infection of those diseases, in case of emergency for prevention from occurence and spread of those diseases.
3) Designation of infectious diseases of which inspection of the pathogen is required as for quarantine infectious diseases (in relation to Article 2):
The prescription method of quarantine infectious diseases was reviewed to designate promptly infectious diseases necessary for inspection (dengue fever and malaria, etc.) as quarantine infectious diseases.
4) Emergency measures, etc. related to new Category IV infectious diseases
(in relation to Article 24 and 26-3):
In accordance with review of type of Category IV infectious diseases prescribed
in Infectious Disease Law, provisions about emergency measures in case
of finding patients, etc. suffering from new Category IV infectious diseases
and notification to prefectural governor, etc. in case of finding patients
retaining a pathogen of new Category IV infectious diseases were prescribed.
5) Penal Regulations
Penal regulations on 1) and 2) were prescribed.
(6) REFERENCE INFORMATION
(Liaison Office for Further Information)
Tuberculosis and Infectious Diseases Control Division, Health Service Bureau,
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Tel 03-3595-2257 http://www.mhlw.go.jp