General Requirements for Imports

Handbook for Agricultural and Fishery Products Import Regulations 2009: Providing guidance about import examination and inspection for seafood.

Food Sanitation Act: Providing guidance about general import and inspection principles. In addition, this Act provides guidance about the import procedures, the obligation for importers to submit the import notification, the procedures of import notification of foods and related products. The Act specifies the regulatory requirements for importing seafood into Japan for commercial purposes as food for direct human consumption.

Procedures and import requirements are available at the following link: http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/importedfoods/1.html.

Additives, Contaminants, Antimicrobials and Residues

Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc. Under the Food Sanitation Act, 2010 April 2011: Providing information about additives that are permitted to be added to food, their maximum limits and standards.

Guidelines for Application for Establishment and Revision of Maximum Residue Limits for Agricultural Chemicals used outside Japan: Providing guidance about residues of veterinary drugs and contaminants, their standards and their maximum limits.

Microbiological and Organic Criteria

Handbook for Agricultural and Fishery Products Import Regulations 2009: Providing microbiological criteria and limits of marine biotoxins for bivalve molluscs.

Criteria for Biotoxins

Handbook for Agricultural and Fishery Products Import Regulations 2009: Providing criteria and limits on biotoxins for bivalve molluscs. 

Traceability

Guidelines on Hygiene Control of Import Processed Foods, Annex to Notice Shoku-an No. 0605001 of June 5th, 2008: Providing guidance about hygiene control for import processed food and for establishing a system of responsibility for recall, specific measures of recall, and procedures of reporting to the relevant administrative organs, which allow importers to recall the products.

Labelling and Packaging

Food Sanitation Act: The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) provides the necessary criteria for the labelling and packaging of in Chapter IV of this Act.

How do we find the last consolidated version of the Regulations?

https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp 

Related links