| TOP |
| 6th Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 16, 2000) |
1. Complainant: Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
3. Complaint:
Meat which is imported must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by a government organization of the exporting country. In the case of Australia, electronic transmission of inspection certificates has been possible since March 1998.
To speed up quarantine procedures for importing meat, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should actively approach other countries, for example the United States (the U.S. Department of Agriculture), to expand the number of countries from which certificates may be transmitted electronically and implement this at an early date.
4. Corresponding Policy of the Ministries concerned:
Based on the Animal Infectious Diseases Control Law, animal quarantine offices inspect animals and livestock products in order to prevent infectious diseases from entering the country.
Under the said Law, animals and livestock products may not be imported into Japan unless accompanied by a health certificate issued by a government of the exporting country. However, this requirement does not apply when the particulars of the certificate have been transmitted electronically by the government of the exporting country to the Animal Quarantine Service's computers and recorded in the computer's file.
Electronic transmission of health certificates between Australia and Japan has been taking place since March 1998, at the request of Australia, and in order to expand use of the system, it has been described at APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Conference) meetings.
The ministry intends to expand use of the system for electronic transmission of health certificates, in response to requests from other countries.
5. Remarks
The complainant accepted this policy.