| TOP |
| 7th Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 18, 2002) |
1. Complainant: Chinese Embassy
2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
3. Complaint:
China has been exporting gain straw and forage (hereinafter to be called "feed straw, etc.") to Japan.
Following the outbreak of food-and-mouth disease in Japan in March 2000, the Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Control Law (Law of 1951 No. 166) was revised at an extraordinary session of the Diet in the autumn of the same year, and feed straw, etc. was included in a list of goods that can be designated as a designated quarantine good by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
As a result, it is required to attach an inspection certificate issued by the competent government agency of the exporting country in order to import feed straw, etc. to Japan, the production facility of the feed straw, etc. has to pass the inspections conducted by the Japanese and Chinese governments in order to have an inspection certificate issued.
In the inspections conducted by the Japanese side in February and March 2001, several companies were disqualified. However, 1] it is difficult to take corrective measures, as the Japanese inspection standards are unclear and vague, and 2] it is difficult to make request for reexamination, as the inspection system and procedures are vague.
Therefore, we would like the competent ministry to 1] clarify the standards concerning the inspection in question in order to make it easy to take corrective measures, and 2] clarify and speed up procedures for reexamination and send inspectors to China immediately to implement reexaminations.
4. Corresponding Policy of the Ministries concerned:
(1) Clarification of the inspection standards for disinfection facilities for grain straw and forage
The basic structure of the designation (inspection) standards for disinfection facilities for the gain straw and forage (hereinafter to be called "feed straw, etc.") designated by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are prescribed in the domestic animal hygiene condition arrangements concluded with China. Since each disinfection facility has different location and structure conditions, the ministry decides whether or not to give designation to a facility based on the designation (inspection) standards prescribed in the domestic animal hygiene condition arrangements after confirming the facility in question is capable of implementing appropriate disinfection treatment on straw and forage and of preventing straw and forage from being contaminated again after disinfection. Therefore, it is difficult to make he designation (inspection) standards prescribed in the domestic animal hygiene condition arrangements clearer.
(2) Procedures for reexamination
As to facilities that were not finally designated as a result of an on-cite inspection, the ministry, if necessary, points out the inadequate items. If the inadequate items are improved, the ministry asks the Chinese government to submit documents related to the improvement and if the ministry judges from the documents that improvement has been made, it will again conduct an on-site inspection.
In late August, the Chinese government submitted documents concerning conditions of the facilities improved. The ministry is now preparing a response to the Chinese government and plans to send the response shortly.
The ministry is also preparing an itinerary for on-cite inspection. After adjustment of the itinerary with the Chinese side, the ministry intends to dispatch domestic animal experts for on-cite inspection as early as possible.
5. Remarks
The complainant accepted this policy.