Inspection order on okra from China: every lot per import notificationOkra arriving from China will now be inspected in full
On October 30, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced an inspection order under Article 26, Paragraph 3 of the Food Sanitation Act covering okra from China and its processed products (limited to simple processing), notified to the heads of all quarantine stations the same day. It follows three violations in which mepiquat chloride was found above the standard in okra from China during monitoring inspections at quarantine stations. Inspection of every lot for each import notification now becomes mandatory.
Key points
- The order covers okra from China and its processed products, limited to simple processing
- The basis is an inspection order under Article 26, Paragraph 3 of the Food Sanitation Act, making inspection of every lot mandatory for each import notification
- It was notified to the heads of all quarantine stations as of October 30, 2026
- The trigger was three violations in which mepiquat chloride was detected during monitoring inspections at quarantine stations: against a standard of 0.01 ppm, the release records detected values of 0.12 ppm, 0.04 ppm and 0.24 ppm
What to do in practice
- If you plan to import okra from China or its processed products, review your delivery schedule and stock levels on the basis that every lot will be inspected
- For lots already ordered, check with your supplier and customs agent how the inspection will be handled
When food comes into Japan from abroad, the government takes samples at the port and checks whether they are safe. When okra arriving from China was checked, a farm chemical was found above the permitted amount three times. So on October 30 the government issued an inspection order for okra from China and its processed products, meaning everything that arrives has to be checked.
- 1 CheckThe government takes samples at the port and checks them
- 2 FoundA chemical above the permitted amount was found three times
- 3 OrderFrom October 30, every arriving lot has to be checked
Points
- A farm chemical above the permitted amount was found three times in okra arriving from China
- The permitted amount is 0.01 milligram per kilogram. The amounts found were 0.12, 0.04 and 0.24 milligram
- From October 30, all okra from China and its processed products have to be checked when they arrive
What the words mean
- inspection order
- A government order saying that food arriving from abroad must all be inspected
- ppm
- A way of writing very small amounts. One ppm means one millionth
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Imposition of an inspection order on imported food (okra from China and its processed products)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.