Japan’s Rules for U.S. Apples Found Illegal

Japanese health rules on imported U.S. apples that include a 545-yard buffer zone around orchards and regular inspections are illegal under international trade law, the World Trade Organization said.

A panel of trade experts found that Japan’s measures -- designed to protect its own apple trees from fire blight -- are not based on scientific evidence. The ruling was made after a complaint by the United States.

Fire blight is a bacterial infection that poses no danger to humans but affected trees produce reduced crops and may die.

Japan imposed a series of strict rules on imports of U.S. apples, including that there be a wide buffer zone around disease-free orchards destined for export to Japan, and that the orchards be inspected at least three times during the growing season.