1. In order to harmonize the phytosanitary measures with lSPMs, Japan amended the Plant Protection Act as follows:
i. To introduce measures that allow items such as agricultural machinery to be made subject to import/export quarantine. Specific quarantine requirements for the items will be notified by the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Plant Protection Act in due course;
ii. To introduce measures that allow an entity authorised by the MAFF to conduct a part of the export inspection on behalf of plant protection officers if the importing country requires the plant or other item being exported from Japan to have phytosanitary certification;
2. In order to strengthen legal authority of plant protection officers and heighten the penalty for violation against the provisions of import and export quarantine, Japan amended the Plant Protection Act as follows:
i. To authorize plant quarantine officers to address questions to passengers of embarkation/disembarkation and to inspect their baggage for plants and other items;
ii. To establish new fines of "up to 300,000 yen" for passengers who do not comply with the provision above 2.i.;
iii. To raise the fines for violation against the provisions of import and export quarantine such as bringing illegal plants in Japan: in case of an individual, from "up to 1,000,000 yen" to "up to 3,000,000 yen", and in case of a corporate body, from "up to 1,000,000 yen" to "up to 50,000,000 yen".
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