The most important laws governing the entry of food products into Japan are the Food Sanitation Law and the Quarantine Law. Under the Food Sanitation Act and other related laws, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) lays down regulations and sets food safety standards for foods and food additives, as well as pesticide and veterinary drug residues in foods. To ensure the safety of imported foods and related products, the Food Sanitation Law obliges importers to submit an Import Notification to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) when they intend to import a consignment. Without this notification, the imported food cannot be sold or used for business purposes.