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3.105. There are two types of standards in Japan: the JIS and the JAS.
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3.108. JASs are proposed either by the MAFF or by interested parties and are drafted by the MAFF. (...) Except for the JAS for Organic Plants and the JAS for Organic Processed Foods of organic plants (see below), JASs are voluntary. The JAS Law allows third party organizations to certify operators (i.e. manufacturers) to allow them to affix JAS marks (...)
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3.111. There are two mandatory JASs: the JAS for Organic Plants (which was revised in 2017) and the JAS for Organic Processed Foods of organic plants (revised in 2017 and 2018).

3.118. The Food Labelling Standard provides the legal basis for GM labelling requirements. Presently, the list of GM products that need to be labelled comprises eight crops (soybeans, corn, rapeseed, potatoes, cottonseed, alfalfa, papaya, and sugar beet) and 33 kinds of designated processed food, mainly made of soybeans or corn; papaya; and processed foods containing papaya as a main ingredient. In March 2018, the report of an expert panel on GM labelling was compiled; it led to an amendment to the Food Labelling Standard, to ensure that "non-GM" labels may only be used if it is confirmed that the product is not comingled with GM products at all (previously the label could still be used with 5% GM comingling of soybean and corn).

Box 3.2 Key agencies responsible for SPS measures
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Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)- Pharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau: Responsible for the administration of food safety, including specifications and standards for food, food additives, pesticide residues, animal drug residues, radioactive materials, GM foods, food containers, inspection, and safety measures for food;
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Ministry of the Environment: Responsible for managing risks to the environment from imports, including from invasive alien species;
MAFF and MHLW: Responsible for SPS measures relating to fish and fishery products (the MAFF is responsible for animal (including aquatic) health. The MHLW is responsible for food safety (including the establishment of criteria or standards for food and monitoring, and guidance of food distributed in Japan, including imported food)).

3.137. The Agricultural Chemicals Control Act falls under the responsibility of the MAFF and the Ministry of Environment (...) Amendments include: (...) From April 2020, risk assessment for pesticide operators and honeybees is to be introduced, and target species of animals and plants are to be added for ecological risk assessment.

3.169. Japan maintains a government procurement policy to promote environmental protection. The relevant legislation includes the Act on Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities (Act No.100 of 2000), the Act on Promoting Green Procurement, and the Act on Promotion of Contracts of the State and Other Entities, Which Show Consideration for Reduction of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases, etc. (Act No. 56 of 2007, "Green Contract Act").

3.170. Government procurement based on the Act on Promoting Green Procurement is implemented through the Basic Policy for Promotion of Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services, decided by the Cabinet in February 2001; the Policy was last revised in February 2019. It designates goods and services, including those related to public construction works, which should be purchased and utilized by government entities and IAAs, etc. It also sets out evaluation criteria that procuring entities should use in bid assessment for purchasing designated products. The Policy provides that green procurement should not be an unnecessary impediment to international trade, and should comply with the GPA rules. It is revised as necessary. Since 2016, three revisions were made to it. These changes were notified to the WTO Committee on Government Procurement. (...)

3.171. The government implementation rules of the Green Contract Act, namely the "Basic Policy for the Promotion of Contracts Considering Reduction of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases and Others by government entities and independent administrative agencies, etc.", was decided by the Cabinet in December 2007, and was subsequently revised to add contract categories, etc. During the review period, three additional revisions were made to this Policy. Currently, it covers contracts related to the supply of electricity, the purchase and lease of vehicles, the procurement of ships, industrial waste disposal, energy conservation improvement projects, and building design and operation maintenance. The Policy requires that the reduction of emissions of greenhouse and other gases should be taken into account when relevant procurement entities conclude contracts.

3.194. The Integrated Innovation Strategy prioritizes the following five fields for development: AI technology, biotechnology, environment and energy, safety and security, and agriculture. (...)

3.209. Accelerated and super-accelerated examination programmes reduced average FA pendency to 2.3 months and 0.7 months, respectively (...) Accelerated examination for inventions involving environment-related technologies is under trial. (...)

4.7. (...) In September 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) launched the process of developing the next five-year plan, to be released in 2020. Agricultural policy continues to emphasize self-sufficiency, and the Plan sets self sufficiency targets for FY2025 of 45% on a calorie basis and 73% on a production value basis, as well as a self-sufficiency target for feeds of 40% for FY2025. In 2017, self-sufficiency on a calorie basis was as 37%, under target due to climate change affecting the production of main crops such as wheat and soybeans (...)