Navigation Tag Traveling to Japan
Traveling from Japan
Before you take plants (and/or plant products) to overseas, you may need to have them cleared by plant quarantine here in Japan.
Export plant quarantine

(Quarantine conditions for exporting plants products to other countries : see home)

Entry approve many countries have plant quarantine systems to protect their agricultural and forestry resources from the invasion of exotic pests. If you are careless in taking your plants into overseas countries, your plants may be rejected entry or, even worse, you may be fined or penalized for violation of the regulations of importing countries.
Procedure of export plant quarantine primarily depends on the requirements of importing countries which vary with the nature of plants and pests of quarantine concern. These requirements generally consist of the following measures.

  1. Entry prohibited
  2. Entry approved under import permit
  3. Entry approved with the attachment of export phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine service of the exporting country
  4. Disinfection treatment required in exporting country
  5. Phytosanitary inspection required at growing site in exporting country
  6. Restriction posed on method of transportation, stage and portion of plant products, time of importation and mode of packing, etc.

By far, the most common is the requirement for export inspection and attachment of phytosanitary certificate which is issued by the plant protection service in the country of origin. Quite often, therefore, you may have to apply for export inspection of your plants in order to obtain the phytosanitary certificate.
Formalities
Application for export inspection should be made by submitting the form 'Application for Export Plant Inspection' to the Plant Protection Station. In some cases, you may need to obtain, in advance, the import permit for your plants from the plant protection agency of the importing country.
If you have the import permit or its certified copy, be sure to attach it to the application form.
When the inspection at growing site is required, you are requested to apply in good advance so that the plants for export can be inspected at the appropriate stage of growing period.
'Export Phytosanitary Certificate' will be issued for the shipment which has passed the inspection. You will send your shipment together with the certificate.
Inspection method
Inspection is made primarily to confirm whether your plants are prohibited entry into the destined country or infested with the pests of quarantine concern to the country.
Inspection site
Export inspection is usually carried out at the Plant Protection Station.
Other reminders
Some kind of plants must be examined by special time-consuming inspection procedure. Please remind, therefore, that the inspection of your plants may not be completed within a day.
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