Japan has agreed to resolve the issue of problems faced by Indian marine exporters regarding the level of Ethoxyquin in shrimps by the year end. The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Anand Sharma raised this issue in his meeting with Mr. Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan yesterday. Shri Sharma conveyed to the Japanese Minister that the “ as the standards in India meet that in other sensitive markets like EU, this matter needs to be expedited by Japan within a specific time frame.” On this Mr. Motegi replied that "we have received the request. The concerned agencies are engaged with the same. They have been asked to look into a solution by year end."

Earlier, during his visit to Japan in May 2013, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh too had raised the issue in light of the fact that the move has severely affected the marine export from India. Dr. Singh had also expressed concern over the issue of import of Indian shrimp by Japan and had hoped that the matter would be resolved soon.

In September 2012, Japan’s Food Safety Commission announced new regulations that would impose compulsory testing for Ethoxyquin in shrimp consignments. The regulations brought out in 2012 introduced health standards tolerate Ethoxyquin levels up to 0.01 ppm, down from the previous 1 ppm. According to MPEDA press release dated June 24 2013, in the year 2012-13 “export of Frozen Shrimp decreased by 11.07% in quantity terms and 21.92 % in dollar terms mainly due to the Ethoxyquin issue with frozen shrimp exports from India.”

Ethoxyquin testing standards prompt Japan to commit to resolve shrimp import barriers by year end. Japan committed to seek a solution by year end to import impediments created by new compulsory testing requirements for Ethoxyquin in shrimp, after Indian ministers urged expedited action noting Indian standards align with other sensitive markets. The Japanese Food Safety Commission's 2012 rule lowered permitted Ethoxyquin residues and mandated testing for shrimp consignments, a regulatory change that Indian authorities link to a decline in frozen shrimp exports and which is now the focus of bilateral engagement.