The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare released the results of 2015 border/customs inspections. Of a total of 640,012 shipments of food and related products—an increase of 3.85% from 2014—50,152 shipments were sampled for inspection, and of these, 98.1% passed the inspection. Leading countries of origin by the number of shipments were Japan, USA, mainland China, Thailand, and Vietnam; and by weight were USA, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, and mainland China. 
Leading imported product categories by number of shipments were food utensils, cookies, other prepared foods, sauces/condiments and candy, and chocolate; and by weight were grains and cereals, molasses, grain and cereal products, and fresh, chilled, or frozen fruit and vegetables. 

952 shipments failed to meet the inspection requirements. Leading categories of the failing products were fresh, chilled, or frozen vegetables; food utensils; fresh, chilled, or frozen fruit; tea and sauces/condiments. The main causes for failing inspection were pesticide residues and inadequate heat resistance (see attached table for details). 

Food and related products that fail the border/customs inspection will be processed for return or destruction as stipulated. At the same time, per import inspection regulations, the FDA will increase the inspection sampling percentage for the particular food and related products to as much as 100%. The FDA also requires food processors/traders to actively self-monitor food sanitation and safety. In addition, per Article 52 of the Food Sanitation Management Act, besides exercising import control against products that fail the inspection, the FDA may publically reveal the company name, address, product name, and details of regulatory violations.