Japan said on Friday that allowing unrestricted imports of fresh US potatoes would risk introduction of 21 pests and pathogens. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has drafted a list covering 14 insect pests and several fungi and microbes, including the hard-to-eradicate potato cyst nematode first detected in Hokkaido in 2015. Tokyo currently bans fresh potato imports except for potatoes for chip processing; the US has sought full removal of the ban since 2020. The central govern

Japan said on Friday that allowing unrestricted imports of fresh US potatoes would risk introduction of 21 pests and pathogens. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has drafted a list covering 14 insect pests and several fungi and microbes, including the hard-to-eradicate potato cyst nematode first detected in Hokkaido in 2015. Tokyo currently bans fresh potato imports except for potatoes for chip processing; the US has sought full removal of the ban since 2020. The central government will brief producers and local officials from September and publish a formal list that month; based on that list Japanese officials will start negotiating quarantine measures with US authorities. MAFF said measures will vary by crop and origin and typically take years to design.