. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/147
22 March 2000
(00-1187)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   JAPAN
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   To be determined.
Products will be specified in the Cabinet order by 1 April 2001
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Revision of a Part of
the Law for Promotion of Utilization of Recyclable Resources (English, 2 pages)
6. Description of content:   Outline of planned revisions is as follows.
1. To establish new provisions for promoting the usage of parts of used products.  In
order to promote the utilization of parts of used products specified by the Cabinet order,
business entities are required to comply with the Judgement Criteria prescribed by the Order
of the competent ministry.  The competent minister can give advice and directives to
business entities, when appropriate.
2. To establish new provisions for reducing used products.  In order to rationalize the
utilization of raw materials specified by the Cabinet order and to reduce the used products
specified by the Cabinet order by promoting long time usage, business entities are required
to comply with the Judgement Criteria prescr ibed by the Order of the competent ministry.
The competent minister can give advice and directives to business entities, when
appropriate.
3. To modify the provisions on the Second Class Specified Products.  At present the
indication of materials and ingredients of produc ts is specified by the Cabinet order and the
competent minister can give advice and directives to business entities, when appropriate.
After this revision, small and medium size enterprises prescribed by the Cabinet order are
exempted from advice and directive by the Cabinet order are exempted from advice and
directive by the competent minister.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:   In
addition to the current provisions prescribing recycling, new provisions which prescribe thereduction of used products and the reuse of parts will promote the effective use of resources
and reduce wastes.G/TBT/Notif.00/147
Page 2
8. Relevant documents:   Revisions are based on the "Law for Promotion of Utilization of
Recyclable Resources".  These revisions will appear in "KAMPO" (Official Gazette) when
adopted.
9. Proposed date of adoption:  2nd quarter 2000
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 April 2001
10. Final date for comments:   10 April 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:           