Japan Tightens Chlorpyrifos Controls: Partial Amendment of Specifications And Standards for Foods, Food additives, etc.
The Consumers Affairs Agency (CAA) has published on 10 September 2026 (under CAA Notification No. 385 of 2026) a partial amendment of Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food additives etc. (Act No. 370 of 1959) to revise the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of Quinoclamine, Chlorpyrifos, Spirodiclofen, Spiropidion and Propamocarb.
Main revisions:
The amendment is particularly relevant to food manufacturers, agricultural producers, ingredient suppliers and companies exporting food products to Japan, as several changes may affect existing pesticide-residue specifications and testing requirements.
Key Regulatory Changes
Substance | Regulatory action | Key implications |
Quinoclamine | MRLs revised | Changes include increases for certain commodities |
Spirodiclofen | MRLs revised | Several MRLs reduced, particularly for fruit, citrus and nuts |
Spiropidion | New MRLs established | New Japan-specific MRL requirements across a broad range of commodities |
Propamocarb | MRLs revised | Significant revisions for vegetables, fruit, rice and livestock products |
Chlorpyrifos | Existing MRLs deleted | Where no specific MRL applies, the 0.01 ppm uniform limit becomes relevant |
Chlorpyrifos: A Significant Change for Export Compliance
One of the most consequential changes is the deletion of existing commodity-specific MRLs for Chlorpyrifos.
The previous standards covered a wide range of commodities, including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruit, nuts, tea, coffee, meat and marine food products.
The removal of an individual MRL does not mean that chlorpyrifos is no longer regulated. Where a specific MRL is not established, Japan's uniform limit of 0.01 ppm applies.
This may result in a substantially lower permissible residue level for commodities that were previously subject to higher commodity-specific MRLs. For example, previous Japanese MRLs included:
Food name | MRL before amendment (ppm) | MRL after amendment (ppm) |
Wheat | 0.50 | uniform limit of 0.01 |
Broccoli and peppers | 2.00 | uniform limit of 0.01 |
Tea | 10.00 | uniform limit of 0.01 |
Marine food products | 0.03 | uniform limit of 0.01 |
Companies exporting these commodities to Japan should therefore reassess existing product specifications and historical residue results against the applicable 0.01 ppm limit.
Separately, Japan has designated Chlorpyrifos as a Class I Specified Chemical Substance (第一種特定化学物質) under the Chemical Substances Control Act (CSCA), following its listing for elimination under the Stockholm Convention. The designation will take effect on 22 November 2026.
Class I Specified Chemical Substances are substances considered to be persistent, bioaccumulative and pose long-term toxicity to humans or higher-trophic-level predators. They are subject to some of Japan's most stringent chemical-management controls.
What does the Class I designation mean?
Under the CSCA framework:
Manufacture and import are, in principle, prohibited unless the relevant statutory permission requirements are satisfied.
Use is restricted, with use prohibited except where a specific permitted use has been established.
Import of specified products containing the substance can also be prohibited.
For chlorpyrifos, Japan has designated wood preservatives/insecticides (木材用の防虫剤) containing chlorpyrifos as an import-prohibited product.
The Japanese authorities concluded that there was no need to establish an exceptional permitted use for chlorpyrifos, as there were no identified Japanese plans for future manufacture, import or use.
Therefore, companies should avoid treating this amendment as simply another MRL amendent.
It is part of a broader regulatory transition towards elimination of chlorpyrifos from the Japanese market.
Spirodiclofen: Tighter Limits for Selected Commodities
MRLs for spirodiclofen has also been revised across multiple food categories.
Several limits have been reduced, including:
Food name | MRL before amendment (ppm) | MRL after amendment (ppm) |
Cucumber | 0.10 | 0.07 |
Citrus natsudaidai | 2.00 | 1.00 |
Lemon | 2.00 | 1.00 |
Orange | 2.00 | 0.50 |
Grapefruit | 2.00 | 1.00 |
Apple | 2.00 | 1.00 |
Persimmon | 1.00 | 0.80 |
Other fruits | 5.00 | 2.00 |
Selected nuts | 0.10 | 0.08 |
At the same time, new commodity-specific limits have been established for certain products. The changes are particularly relevant for fruit and nut supply chains, where existing pesticide-use practices and residue specifications may have been developed against the previous Japanese MRLs.
Spiropidion: New MRLs Established
A new set of MRLs has been established for spiropidion.
The standards cover a broad range of agricultural commodities, including soybeans, potatoes, sugar beet, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, melons, citrus fruits, tea and spices, as well as livestock products and honey. Selected examples include:
Food name | MRL before amendment (ppm) |
Soybean | 3.00 |
Potato | 2.00 |
Tomato | 2.00 |
Pepper | 5.00 |
Eggplant | 4.00 |
Citrus fruits | 3.00 |
Tea | 20.00 |
Other spices | 15.00 |
Applicable Date:
The amendment was enters into force on 10 September 2026.
However, certain revised standards—particularly those subject to a transition period—will apply from 10 September 2027.
This provides affected businesses with a one-year transitional period to review supply chains and implement necessary changes. For chlorpyrifos, transitional provisions also apply to certain foods manufactured, imported or processed before the applicable effective date.
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