Japan: Japan 227th Food Safety Group

On July 18, 2019, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) announced revisions to Japan’s Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for six agricultural chemicals and a veterinary drugs; Difenoconazole, Sethoxydim, Bifenthrin, Buprofezin, Flonicamid and Diazinon. MHLW also introduced the designation of Difenoconazole as a food additive, establishment of the compositional specifications for nine existing food additives, the revision of the compositional specifications for Ethyl acetoacetate, the "Information Gathering System for Health Hazard Associated with Foods Containing Ingredients That Require Specific Cautions". Furthermore, MHLW announced the modifications to the handling of crossbred progeny of the “Food hygiene handling procedures for foods and additives derived from genome editing technology”. The embassy comment period for these proposals is open until October 11, 2019. MHLW will then notify these revisions to the WTO, which will provide another opportunity for interested parties to comment.

Japan: Japan 227th Food Safety Group