OTO No. |
622 |
Classification |
MHW-257 |
|
Date of Acceptance |
October 31, 2000 |
Respective Office
Receiving Complaint |
Cabinet Office (Economic Planning Agency) |
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Responsible Ministries |
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
(Ministry of Health and Welfare) |
Related Laws |
Food Sanitation Law |
|
Complainant |
Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Proxy complaint) |
Exporting Countries |
Sweden |
|
Subject |
Application of test data from official
inspection agencies of exporting countries |
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|
Description of Complaint |
Those who are to import foods or instruments for sale or commercial use must notify the minister of health, labour and welfare of each import under the Food Sanitation Law. The import notification procedures are taken at quarantine offices. The offices examine import notifications and conduct inspection if necessary. Importers may voluntarily have imports inspected at inspection agencies as designated by the minister of health, labour and welfare and submit inspection results concluding that no problem exists with the Food Sanitation Law, however, inspection is not required upon importation in principle. Products for import into Japan may undergo inspection upon exporting by testing and inspecting organizations that are certified by governments of the exporting countries as capable of conducting certain levels of inspection. If Japan’s minister of health, labour and welfare is notified of certification in advance and the imports are accompanied by inspection results, inspection of imports regarding matters subject to the results are omitted in Japan in order to simplify import inspection procedures (the exporting country public testing organization system). The complainant imports and sells glass
products from abroad. If products with the same material quality vary in
shape, inspection results are required for each shape in Japan. The complainant
wants past inspection results acquired from exporting country public testing organizations
to be applied to glass products varying in capacity, color or shape, as far
as their material quality is the same. |
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Details of Measures |
The ministry replied as follows: A system was introduced in April 1982 to exempt imports from inspection if the imports are continuously made of foods that are manufactured at the same factory and under the same method with the composition and used amounts of raw materials, additives, etc. remaining the same, and if importers submit inspection results to confirm that the products have passed administrative inspection or that voluntary inspection results meet the provisions of the Food Sanitation Law. Since December 1994, instruments, packages and toys whose material qualities, coloring agents and production processes are the same have been made free from inspection indefinitely as far as they are accompanied by copies of initial testing results. |
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Status of Processing |
Processed (December 26, 2000) |
Classification of Action |
Cc |
|
Remarks |
A written reply was made on November 14, 2000. |
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