Effective April 11, 2019, the Postal Service™ is revising the Individual Country Listing for Japan in Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) to note that, for imported plants, Japan requires a phytosanitary certificate issued by the country of origin. For a U.S. mailer, the phytosanitary certificate must come from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This revision is based on a formal request that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan made through the Universal Postal Union via International Bureau Circular 17, dated February 4, 2019.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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Individual Country Listings
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Japan
Country Conditions for Mailing
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Restrictions
[Add an entry in alphabetical order to read as follows:]
Plants are prohibited unless accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the country of origin, in accordance with Japan’s national legislation. For a U.S. mailer, the phytosanitary certificate must come from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Japan’s national legislation authorizes the destruction of items that do not have the proper documentation.
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Although effective on April 11, 2019, the Postal Service will incorporate this revision into the next edition of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Marketing, 4-11-19
