1. IMPORT FOOD INSPECTION SYSTEM In Japan
Hajime Toyofuku, D.V.M. Ph.Ｄ
National Institute of Public Health, Japan

2. Table of Contents
Overview of the imported food, inspection system for imported food
Overview of the food exported from Thailand and food safety issues
Overview of current food safety criteria
New system: Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues, Cadmium and Aflatoxin

3. Self-supply rate for Food ＜６０%(calorie base ＞
　　　　　　　　　year
’65
’75
’85
’９０
’95
’00
’0５
’0７
’0８
Rice 95
110
107
100
104 9４ 9５
Wheat 28 4 14 1５ 7 11 1４
Bean 25 9 8 ８ 5 ９
Vegetable 99 91 85 82 7９ 8１ 8２
Fruits 90 84 77 6３ 49 44 4１ 4０
Meat 81 7０ 57 52 5４ 5６
Egg 97 98 96
Milk product 86 ７8 72 68 6６
Fish 93 53 5１
Sugar 31 15 33 3２ 29 34 3３ 3８
self-sufficiency rates 73 54 4８ 43 40
Ｉｔｅｍ

4. Cases & Weights of Imported Foods （Nationwide）
x10000 Cases
Million Tones
1.86 milli
34 milli tones

5. Inspection of imported food the quarantine station
Submission of import
notifications　　　　　　　
Meat Inspect.
Certificate
Document inspection
Onsite inspection　
compliance
Custom
No-com-
pliance
ship back
discard
　Examination
order
Monitoring NO
examination
Acceptance of the
notification
Arrival of the
cargo

6. Overview of the System of Inspections Conducted at the Time of Importation
Comprehensive import ban
※ Number of total(gross) of monitoring inspections is 83,951 cases
Probability of violation
High
Inspection order
95,490
Inspection rate
Enhanced monitoring
193,917
1,759,123
＝１１．０％
FY2008
Total number of inspections/Number of import notifications
49,133
Monitoring inspection
Administrative Inspection
etc.
70,143
Low

7. Annual Monitoring Plan （2010 Fiscal Year）
Foods, etc.
Analyses
Samples
Animal food
(Meat, Milk, Egg)
Animal drugs, Pesticides, Food standards, etc.
4,880
Animal processed food
Animal drugs, Food Additives, Food standards, etc.
　7,510
Sea food (Fish and Shellfish)
Animal drugs, Food Additives, Food standards, etc
　6,570
Processed sea food
12,360
Agricultural products
(Grain, Vegetable, Fruit)
Pesticides, Aflatoxin, GMO
22,280
Processed agricultural products
Pesticides, Food Additives, Food standards, Aflatoxin, GMO, etc
17,150
Miscellaneous
Food Additives, Food standards, etc.
　4,800
Drinks
　2,200
Food Additives, utensils, etc.
Food standards, etc.
2,250
50% monitoring foods
5,000
Total
85,000

8. Number of notifications, analyses and rejections
Year ratio
Weight
No. of total analyses
Analysis sites
No. rejected cases
Gov. lab
Private lab
Official Foreign lab 件 ％
1000 tones
＊１　　　件
＊２　　　件
1965
94,986 -
12,765
5,574
679
1975
246,507
20,775
21,461
1,634
1985
384,728
105.6
22,665
39,817
14,892
26,054
1,904
308
1995
1,052,030
109.2
28,268
141,128
60,787
74,634
19,760
948
2000
1,550925
110.5
30,034
112,281
52,244
63,789
(37,484)
3,796
1,037
2005
1,864,412
104.1
33,782
189,362
66,147
125,083
(73,589)
7,919
935
2007
1,797,086
96.7
32,261
198,542
58,299
144,846
(94,598)
5,818
1,150
2008
1,759,123
97.9
31,551
193,917
58,706
140,878 (95,490)
6,208
＊１　行政検査、指定検査機関検査、外国公的検査機関検査の合計から重複を除いた数値
＊２　（　）内の数値は、指定検査機関検査のうちの命令検査の件数

9. Inspection System for Imported Foods, etc.
Food Inspectors ・・・・・・・・383 persons
Notification Sites for Imported Foods ・・・・・・３１ sites
Laboratory facilities
Two Major Laboratories:
Yokohama (Eastern Lab. for Imported Foods & Infectious Diseases)
Kobe (Western Lab. for Imported Foods & Infectious Diseases)
Six Minor Laboratories:
Tokyo, Narita A.P., Nagoya, Osaka, Kansai A.P., Fukuoka

10. Notification Site Map for Imported Foods, etc.
Otaru QS
Titose AP
Sendai QS
Sendai AP
Narita AP QS
Tokyo QS
Hunabasi（Baraki）
Tiba
Haneda AP
Kawasaki
Yokohama QS
Eastern Lab.
Niigata QS
Nagoya QS
Nagoya AP
Yokkaiti
Simizu
Osaka QS
Kansai AP QS
Kobe QS
Western Lab.
Hirosima QS
Hirosima AP
Sakai
Kagosima
Fukuoka AP
Simonoseki
Moji
Fukuoka QS
Nagasaki
Naha QS
Naha AP

11. Table of Contents
Overview of the imported food, inspection system for imported food
Overview of the food exported from Thailand and food safety issues
Overview of current food safety criteria
New system: Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues

12. Statistics on Food Import in Japan from Thailand

13. Top 5 ｉｔｅｍｓ from Ｔｈａｉｌａｎｄ 2008
Notification
Analysis
Violation
Number
Weight(t)
Non-glutinous rice
261
203592
121
106335 14
3293
Cooked meat product（packed after cooking)
15580
184043
1046
9099 1 2
Tapioca flour
289
108003 54
26337
Chemically modified starch
1510
89106
243
11740
Saccharides
1239
72978 20
500

14. Abstract: Subject Foods by Country, for which Inspection Orders were Issued
Target countries/area
Subject foods
Inspection items
Conditions
All exporting countries
(16 items)
Pufferfish
Identification of fish species
Limited to lots from which different species of pufferfish have been found in on-site inspections
Salted salmon roe
Nitrite
Manioc and its processed products (other than starch)
Cyanide
Thailand
(26 items)
Cultured shrimp and its processed products (simple processing only)
Oxolinic acid
Excluding products with attached certificates issued by the Thailand government concerning oxolinic acid, as separately indicated
Okra and its processed products
(simple processing only)
EPN
Excluding products exported by the exporters separately indicated
Basil seeds
Aflatoxin
Inspection orders were issued to all exporting countries for 16 items and to 36 countries for 190 items. (As of April 1, 2009)

15. Inspection Order at Thailand 2010
products
Subject
Shrimp　and Processed product
Oxolinic acid
Neptunia oleracea　and Processed product
Triazophos
Feverweed　and Processed product
Chlorpyrifos, Cypermethrin, buprofezin
Okra　and Processed product
EPN
Mango and Processed product
Chlorpyrifoｓ
Propiconazole
Pandanus Odorus　and Processed product
Chlorpyrifos
Green Asparagus
Banana
Cypermethrin
Mangosuteen
Imazalil
Lemon grass
Citrus hystrix
Profenofoｓ
Pandanus Odorus

16. No of notifications and violations(2008)
Violations agaisnt the Food Sanitation Law
China
473,343
26.9%
259
22.5% US
209,145
11.9%
140
12.2%
France
179,868
10.2%
Thailand
110
9.6%
128,792
7.3%
Vietnam 72
6.3%
Korea
110,098
Taiwan 57
5.0%

17. Violation in 2009（Thailand）
Violations categories
no of Violations
Aflatoxin 5
Undesignated use of Food Additives 4
Undesignated Food additives
Rottenness, spoilage and molded 19
Exceeding level of Pesticide residue 18
E.coli positive ( Frozen food consumed after cooking) 7
Exceeding levels of bacterial count (Frozen food) 31
Coliform positive (frozen food, Surimi etc) 29
others
total
122

18. Violations by products 2009（Thailand）
Events
No of cases
Frozen food(Squid)
Viable count (5), coliform (1) 6
Frozen food (Shrimp)
Viable count (16), E.coli (1), coliform(3) 20
Frozen fish
Coliform(14), E.coli (2), viable count (2) 17
Fish meat kneated products
Coliform (2) , E.coli (4),
Frozen food (Meat)
E.Coli (4), coliform (2)
Others 16

19. Table of Contents
Overview of the imported food, inspection system for imported food
Overview of the food exported from Thailand and food safety issues
Overview of current food safety criteria
New system: Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues

20. Microbiological criteria (1)
Frozen fish or shellfish intended to be consumed raw
microbial count: < /g product
Coliform: negative
Vibrio parahaemolyticus: < 100 MPN count /g

21. Microbiological criteria (2)
Oyster intended to be consumed raw
- Vibrio parahaemolyticus: < 100 MPN/g - E. coli: <230/100 g product - microbial count: < /g product

22. Microbiological criteria for Frozen food
served after cooking and cooked immediately before freezing
Aerobic 30°C
<100,000
Coliforms
Not detectable
served without cooking
served after cooking (other than those cooked immediately before freezing)
<3,000,000
Escherichia coli

23. Microbiological criteria for boiled crab
Not frozen
Vibrio parahaemolyticus: negative
Frozen boiled crab
microbial count: < /g product
Coliform: negative

24. Food Additives Usage Undesignated food additives
Sulfur dioxide, Benzoic acid, Sorbic acid
Undesignated food additives
TBHQ, Azorubine, Polysorbate

25. Table of Contents
Overview of the imported food, inspection system for imported food
Overview of the food exported from Thailand and food safety issues
Overview of current food safety criteria
New system: Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues

26. Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues
【 Previous Regulation 】
【 Enforcement of Positive List System】　May ～
Pesticides, Feed Additives,
and Veterinary Drugs
Pesticides, Feed Additives and Veterinary Drugs
Chemicals for which MRLs are established
Chemicals for which MRLs are established
Chemicals for which MRLs are not established
Chemicals designated by MHLW
283 substances
799 substances
MRLs for 250 Pesticides and 33 Veterinary Drugs
Establishment of provisional MRLs for agricultural chemicals, considering Codex standards, Japanese registration withholding limits, and other standards established based upon scientific evaluation
758 substances
Establishment of a certain level that is determined to pose no adverse health effects
0.01 ppm
Chemicals that do not pose adverse health effects
65 substances
Foods containing chemicals above the MRLs are enjoined from domestic distribution
Not subject to the positive list system
Foods found to contain chemicals above the level are enjoined from domestic distribution.
Chemicals for which MRLs are not established
Acceleration of the establishment of MRLs
Basically, even foods found to contain chemicals are not enjoined from distribution.
Foods containing chemicals above the MRLs are enjoined from domestic distribution.

27. Status of Violations under the Positive List System (FY 2008)
Categories
Criteria
Number of violations
Residual agricultural chemicals
New criteria
104
Uniform limits
202
Non-detection criteria 1
Conventional criteria 52
Total
359
Residual veterinary drugs
111 3
115
(For reference)
Average number of violations per month before and after the Positive List System became effective
Categories
FY2005 (April 2005-March 2006)
FY2006 (June 2006-March 2007)
FY2007 (April 2007-March 2008)
Residual agricultural chemicals
4.8（－）
44.7（9.4 times）
23.2（0.52 times）
29.8（1.3 times）
Residual veterinary drugs
4.5（－）
23.2（5.2 times）
15.4（0.66 times）
9.6（0.6 times）
Total
9.3（－）
67.9（7.3 times）
38.6（0.56 times）
39.4（1.1 times）
（　）：the ratio compared to the previous fiscal year

28. Guidelines on Hygiene Control of Import Processed Foods
1. The purpose : not only to prevent contamination by poisonous or harmful substances, etc., but also to emphasize basic matters for guidance on processed foods required of importers under the Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan, to promote hygiene control of import processed foods, and to take steps to improve safety
2 Scope: for importers who manufacture and import products to be exported to Japan under direct contract with overseas manufacturers, as well as importers of processed food in general. Moreover, even importers who are not in a direct contractual relationship with an overseas manufacturer should also, through the agency of an exporter or other such concern in the exporting country, strive to confirm the matters stated in these Guidelines with said manufacturer
Sec 2   Raw Material Acceptance Stages
Sec 3   Product Manufacturing and Processing Stages
Sec 4   Product Storage, Transportation and Distribution Stages
Sect 5  Recall and Disposal, Sec 6 Education and training , record keeping

29. Cadmium

30. Epi study of adverse health effects and an indicator
Cadmium
Long term exposure
absorption・ metabolize
β2-microglobulin （β2-MG）
a low molecular weight protein as an indicator
Adverse effects on Kidney proximal tubular

31. Tolerable weekly intake
Conclusion of the risk assessment by Food Safety Commission in Japan
Tolerable weekly intake
　Cd 14.4 ⇒7 µg/kg b.w/week

32. Current control measures for CADMIUM in food in Japan
CADMIUM Limits in Rice（brown rice）,Soft drinks and powdered soft drinks are established in Japan , based on Food Sanitation Law,
For rice, the limit is less than 1.0mg/kg in rice, however, rice containing more than 0.4mg/kg and less than 1.0mg/kg is bought by MAFF in order to prevent distribution in the food chain
Food
Limits
Rice（brown rice）
Less than 1.0 mg/kg
Soft drink
（including mineral water
Source water
Less than 0.01 mg/L 以下
Finish product
Not detected
Powdered soft drink mix

33. Codex CADMIUM standards
＜Standard for contaminants in food＞ Codex STAN , Rev ） 。
Food categories
Limits
(mg/kg)
Note/remarks
Cereal grains （excluding buckwheat ）
0.1
Excluding what and rice and bran and germ
Wheat
0.2
Potato
Peeled
Pulses
Excluding soya bean (dry)
Root and tuber, stalk and stern vegetable
Excluding potato and celeriac
Leafy vegetables
other vegetables（Brassica veg, Bulb veg, fruiting vege, cucurbits,
0.05
Excluding tomatoes and edible fungi
Rice polished
0.4
Marine bivalve molluscs 2
Excluding oyster and scallop
Cephalopods（squids and octopus）
Without viscera

34. Conclusions at food standard committee in MHLW
Revised Cadmium standard in Rice
（1.0ppm → 0.4ppm：from the end of February, 2011）
Cadmium Standards for other food categories will not established.
Request stakeholders to make efforts to reduce the levels of cadmium in foods

35. Aflatoxins

36. Risk management of Aflatoxin in food ①
Current control in Japan
　In 1971, Food contained aflatoxin was regarded as adulterated food, and sales, use and distribution of such food is prohibited as a violation of the Food Sanitation Law, Article 6. In the official test methods, Aflatoxin B1 is designated as the target, and the detection limit was established at 10ppb. This value is considered as “standard”.
Codex
　　Total aflatoxin （sum of B1, B2, G1 and G2）
・peanuts for further processing ( almond, hazelnuts, pistachios for further processing）：15ppb
・ almond, hazelnuts, pistachios for ready to eat：10ppb
Contamination statues
　 ・Some foods were contaminated with both B &G group Aflatoxins.
　 ・In some peanut samples, levels of Aflatoxin G is higher than those of Aflatoinx B group

37. Risk management of Aflatoxin in food 2
Risk assessment
based on epidemiological investigations, liver cancer risk of life -time oral exposure of Aflatoxin B1 at 1ng/kg b.w./day
HBsAg positive; 0.3 cases /100,000 population /year
HBsAg negative: 0.01 cases /100,000 population /year
Results of exposure assessment, differences of risks of liver cancer under deferent scenarios are negligible:
current control at Aflatoxin B1 at 10ppb
total afratoxin at 8, 15, 20ppb
　Afratoxin intake from food should be reduced as low as reasonablely achievable
The Conclusion of the MHLW Food Stanadrd Committee
　　The regulatory target Aflatoxin should be amended as the total aflatoxin with the detection limit at 10ppb.

38. Food Safety Commission
Diagram 2
NEW MEASURES FOR "FOOD SAFETY"
～RISK ANALYSIS～
RISK ASSESSMENT
RISK MANAGEMENT
Food Safety Commission
MHLW
MAFF
・ To conduct a risk assessment.
・ To recommend that agencies in charge of risk
management implement necessary measures for food
safety, based on the risk assessment results.
・ To monitor the risk management by related agencies.
・ To collect and analyze domestic and international
information on food safety hazards.
・ To comprehensively manage total risk communication
including activities of the risk management agencies.
・Quarantine Stations
・Regional Bureaus of
Health and Welfare
・Health Centers, etc.
Risk management
for food safety
・ Regional Agricultural
Administration Offices
・ Centers for Food
Quality, Labeling and
Consumer Services, etc.
Risk management
for agricultural,
livestock, and fishery production.
Food Safety Basic Law
Food Sanitation Law, etc.
Agricultural Chemicals
Regulation Law,　etc.
RISK COMMUNICATION
・Disclosure of information on food safety
・Securing consumers’ opportunities to express their opinions

39. Conclusions Application of Risk Analysis framework
Risk assessment conducted by Food Safety Commission
Risk communication
Taking Codex standards into account
Contribution to the Codex standard setting activities
Toward harmonization with ISO microbiological test methods
Farm to table approach
Identify and implement appropriate control measures along entire food chain

40. MHLW Import food website at
Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues in Foods