On December 20, 2024, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) issued the Kenshifa 1220 Circular No. 1, the Interim Report on the Implementation of the imported Food Surveillance Program for Fiscal Year 2024 (April-September 2024) report.

The main contents of the report are as follows: from April to September 2024, a total of 1,248,232 imported food products were declared, and 104,714 inspections were carried out, of which 27,075 enhanced surveillance inspections were carried out, 34,338 ordered inspections were carried out, and 43,963 autonomous inspections were carried out, with a sampling rate of 8.3%, of which 374 cases were detected to be unsatisfactory, with a non-conformity rate of 0.03%. The inspection situation involving China is as follows: Enhanced monitoring and inspection of 22 items, including 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and propiconazole, in 11 products, including red peppers, asparagus and soybeans from China. Transferred to ordered inspections for aflatoxin in food containing lotus seeds, tebuconazole in canola, and sweeteners in processed food (all from designated manufacturers). 

The ordered inspections in China are as follows: 17,909 batches of inspection of residual pesticides chlorpyrifos, tebuconazole, etc. were implemented for cichlids, onions and carrots, and 21 batches were detected in violation of the law; 3,745 batches of diarrheal shellfish were inspected for diarrheal shellfish toxins and paralytic shellfish toxins, and all of them were qualified; 208 batches of buckwheat and sunflower seeds were inspected for aflatoxin, and one batch was detected in violation of the law; and 1 batch was inspected for snapping turtles and cultured eels for veterinary drug Residual chlorofloxacin and other 490 batches, all qualified; 578 batches of processed food in the sweetener check all qualified.

For more details, see: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_46916.html