(2) Information on Notification of Food Import
Numbers of Import Notification, Inspection, and Rejection in Each Year ( Figure 1)
In 2000, a total of 1,550,925 cases of import notification were submitted for the total of 30,033,822 tons of food and related products.
The number of notification increased by 10.5% (3.8% by weight) from the previous year. Among the notified cargoes, 112,281 cases (7.2%) were subject of inspection.
Among the cargos that went through inspection, 1,037 were reshipped or disposed after being rejected because of incompliance with the Food Sanitation Law.
Trends in the Numbers of Import Notification, Inspection and Rejection according to Category of Food Items ( Table 1)
The analysis of the number of import notification by category of food items (the "large category") in 2000 revealed that marine products were highest in number of submission with 230,490 cases, followed by processed agricultural products with 221,967 cases, livestock products with 211,446 cases, and agricultural products with 201,267 cases. These four categories of foods account for approximately 50% of the total number of notification submission ( Table 2).
When analyzed by weight, agricultural products accounted for the highest amount by 18,041,162 tons, followed by processed agricultural products by 3,380,707 tons, livestock products by 2,362,496 tons, and marine products by 1,967,787 tons. These four categories share more than 80% of total import by weight ( Table 3).
Among the cargoes that were rejected for import, agricultural products shared the largest proportion by 299 cases or 3,845 tons. These cargoes were reshipped, disposed or treated otherwise accordingly. ( Table 4)
Trends in the Numbers of Import Notification, Inspection and Rejection according to the Regions of Export ( Table 5)
When the numbers of import notification in 2000 were analyzed according to the region of export, Asia account for the largest number with 672,696 cases, followed by Europe with 403,023 cases, and North America with 312,418 cases. These three regions accounted for nearly 90% of all import notification by number ( Table 6).
When analyzed by weight, North America scored highest with 15,699,172 tons of import, followed by Asia with 7,597,717 tons. These two regions accounted for about 80% of total weight of import notification submission ( Table 7).
Among the cargoes that were rejected for import, the ones from Asian Region shared the largest with 711 cases, or 3,672 tons. These cargoes were reshipped, disposed or treated otherwise accordingly.
Numbers of Cargoes Rejected for Import for each Category of Items and the Article Number of the Food Sanitation Law ( Table 8)
When the cases where the cargoes were rejected for import were analyzed by category of food items (the "large category") and by the article of the Food Sanitation Law that the cargo violated, the cargoes that violated the Article 7 (the cargo did not meet the specifications and /or standards of foods and additives) of the Food Sanitation Law (the "Law" hereinafter) was highest across the board with 683 cases, followed by Article 4 of the Law (the cargoes were rotten, decomposed or molded, or were mixed with poisonous fish, etc.) with 224 cases, Article 6 of the Law (the cargo contained additives Undesignated in the Law) with 148 cases, Article 10 (the cargoes contained apparatuses or containers/packages that did not meet the specifications and/or standards) with 35 cases, Article 5 (the sanitation (health) certificate for meat and meat products was either not attached to the cargo or incomplete) with 15 cases, and Article 29 (the cargo included toys for infants that did not meet the specifications and/or standards of the Law) with 2 cases.
When these cargoes were divided by category of the food items, the cargoes that violated the Article 4 of the Law included mostly marine products and agricultural products. Other foods, drinks and processed livestock products violated the Article 6 of the Law most frequently, and the cargoes that violated the Article 7 of the Law most frequently were processed marine products, food additives, processed agricultural products, processed livestock products, drinks, other foods, and agricultural products.
For the Article 5, Article 10 and Article 29 of the Law, only one category of food items is subject for each Article. The numbers of the cargoes that were rejected for import can be directly translated into the numbers of the cases the Articles were violated.
These data and examples may be used to better understand what kind of cares should be taken for the import of foods in each category.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare hopes that the information provided here can help importers to improve the sanitation and safety conditions of foods and related products that are brought to Japan.