The Japanese government said on Friday that allowing free imports of fresh potatoes from the United States would pose a risk of introducing 21 types of pests and diseases. Since the U.S. demanded in 2020 that Japan fully lift its ban on U.S. potato imports, officials from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries have been compiling a list of pests and diseases that need to be included in risk management discussions. Japan currently bans the import of fresh potatoes to prevent the invasion of harmful insects and microorganisms, with the sole exception of potatoes used for processing into potato chips. The draft list released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries includes the difficult-to-eradicate Pale Potato Cyst Nematode. This nematode was first confirmed to have broken out in Hokkaido in 2015, and control efforts are still ongoing. The list includes 14 pests, with the remainder being fungi and microorganisms. The central government will hold briefings for producers and local government officials starting in September. After gathering feedback, a formal list will be released that same month. Based on the formal list, Japanese officials will begin discussing import quarantine measures. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will consult with U.S. quarantine authorities to jointly develop specific measures to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases. The time required to develop such measures varies depending on the crop type and production location, and usually takes several years.
