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RGANIZATION
G/TBT/N/JPN/2566 June 2008(08-2643)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying: JAPAN
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Business Transaction Advisory Section, Consumer Affairs Division, Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sports, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Frozen processed foods manufactured in Japan and distributed in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Partial revision of labeling guidelines (for frozen processed foods) based on regulations contained in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Consumer Protection Ordinance (available in English, 2 pages). 6. Description of content: Labels shall indicate the origin of the following ingredients in
frozen processed foods manufactured in Japan and distributed in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Types of ingredients that must be indicated on labels:
(a) Perishable foods (as prescribed under Quality Labeling Standard for Perishable Foods in Article 2 of the Law concerning Standardization and Proper Labeling of Agricultural and Forestry Products (hereinafter referred to as “JAS Law”));
(b) Processed foods (as prescribed under Quality Labeling Standard for Processed Foods in Article 3, Paragraph 5, under the JAS Law);
(c) Four items regulated under the JAS Law for specific labeling of quality standards: Frozen vegetable products, processed eel products, dried bonito flakes, and pickled agricultural products.
Range of ingredients requiring disclosure on labels:
(a) The top three ingredients by weight and any ingredient constituting five percent or more of the product by weight;
(b) Ingredients used, in whole or in part, in the name of the product. Labeling methods:
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(a) Visible labeling in print or stamped, affixed as a label, or of other methods;
(b) These restrictions do not apply in cases where package labeling is extremely difficult. 7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: To
ensure an appropriate choice of food products for consumers
8. Relevant documents: The revision to appear in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Report (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Gazette) when adopted.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force:
To be officially announced in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Gazette after a fixed period of time following a period for public comment and to be enforced upon announcement
10. Final date for comments: 5 August 2008
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ X ] or address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Japan Enquiry Point
