| OTO No. | 639 | Classification | MHLW-(7) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Acceptance | April 25, 2001 | Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint | Cabinet Office | |
| Responsible Ministries | Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | Related Laws | Food Sanitation Law | |
| Complainant | Domestic firm | Exporting Countries | Taiwan | |
| Subject | Time when private companies participate in appointed inspection organizations and disclosure of the "Specifications and Standards for Food and Food Additives, etc." to public inspection organizations in exporting countries | |||
| Description of Complaint |
1. The complainant imports and sells plastic tableware from overseas. However, since the number of appointed inspection organizations is insufficient, the complainant has no choice of organization. The complainant made a comparison of inspection fees with appointed inspection organizations in other prefectures and found organizations that offer lower fees. However, the complainant cannot ask an appointed inspection organization in other prefecture for an inspection due to transportation cost, etc. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has determined to approve private companies to participate in appointed inspection organizations. When will this be implemented? 2. In order to simplify import procedures of tableware, there is the system of public inspection organizations in exporting countries. In order to utilize this system, the complainant made a confirmation with a public inspection organization in Taiwan registered with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Then, the organization made a reply that it could inspect products to be exported to the U.S. or Europe, but do not know how to inspect products to be exported to Japan since no inspection standards have been given by Japan. As a matter of fact, the system of public inspection organizations in the exporting country cannot be used accordingly. Under this premise, there is a need for the ministry concerned to disclose the Specifications and Standards for Food and Food Additives, etc. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notification in 1959) for exporting countries having public inspection organizations registered with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 3. In order to request an inspection about standard items indicated in the Specifications and Standards for Food and Food Additives, etc., the translation of necessary standard items into English is required, which is a problem. It is difficult for small and medium companies to accurately translate standard items concerned, many of which are technical, into English. Entrustment of translation to a specialized translation company also causes an excessive cost burden. Therefore, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare should translate the standards in question into English and place the English translation on its website. |
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| Details of Measures |
The ministry replied as follows: 1. Regarding appointed inspection authorities, the following is stated in the submitted opinions of the Health Sanitation Committee (December 2000): It is also proper to consider private inspection organizations satisfying certain requirements of fairness and neutrality to be subjects of appointment. In doing that, however, it is considered appropriate to take necessary measures at an appropriate time in consideration of social conditions that the people's confidence in food-related companies' attitudes has been shaken by the frequency of large-scale food poisoning cases and mixing of foreign objects into foodstuffs. As for the synthetic resins for plastic tableware, no inspection order has been issued up to now, and self-inspection on the part of the importers is adequate. For self-inspection, inspection organizations are not limited to appointed inspection organizations, differing from ordered inspections. 2. The Japanese standards on utensils, containers and packaging are notified under the Ministry of Health and Welfare Notification No. 370 dated December 28, 1959. (This notice is also placed on the website of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). As for the implementation of the inspection process, the necessary standard items are to be entrusted to the inspection organization concerned, so the ministry expects the complainant to use the system of public inspection organizations in exporting countries after confirming necessary standard items. 3. Each standard item indicated in the Specifications and Standards for Food and Food Additives, etc. was translated by JETRO and others and is placed on the Internet. Therefore, based on the complainant's opinion, the ministry will offer the information to embassies of exporting countries which have public inspection organizations registered with Japan. The ministry will also prepare the English website with information on imported food monitoring by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as create a link to the JETRO's website to increase convenience. |
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| Classification of Processing | Ca | Directions | IV | |
| Remarks |
A written reply was made on May 9, 2001. An additional written reply was made on June 20, 2001. |
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