. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/438
19 September 2000
(00-3706)
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:
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   Ministry of Finance;  Ministry of Health and Welfare;
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;  Ministry of International Trade and
Industry
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [     ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [ X], 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):
• Containers and packaging for merchandise which are mainly made of paper,
(excluding those which are used for beverages for which aluminium is not used as araw material, and containers and packaging for merchandise which are mainly made
of corrugated cardboard).  Hereinafter referred to as "containers and packaging
made of the paper".
• Merchandise contained in containers and packaging made of the paper.
• Containers and packaging for merchandise which are mainly made of plastic
(excluding containers for merchandise which are mainly made of polyethylene
terephtalate (PET), which are used for beverages or soy sauces).  Hereinafter
referred to as "containers and packaging made of the plastic".
• Merchandise contained in containers and packaging made of the plastic.
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Establishment of a
Cabinet Order to Designate "containers and packaging made of paper" and "containers and
packaging made of plastic" as "Specified Product Obliged to Label", and Establishment of a
Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Labelling Standards Based on the "amended Law for
Promotion of Utilization of Recyclable Resources".
6. Description of content:   Based on the article of "Specified Product Obliged to Label" of
the "amended Law for Promotion of Utilization of Recyclable Resources", "containers and
packaging made of paper", "merchandise contained in containers and packaging made of thepaper, "containers and packaging made of plastic" and "merchandise contained in containers
and packaging made of the plastic" will be designated as "Specified Product Obliged to
Label" by a Cabinet Order.  The designati on will obligate the manufacturers, users and
importers to label "containers and packaging made of paper" and "containers and packaging
made of plastic" with a view to facilitating their sorted collection for recycling.G/TBT/Notif.00/438
Page 2
In accordance with new designation of "containers and packaging made of paper" and
"containers and packaging made of plastic" as "Specified Product Obliged to Label", these
Labelling standards are provided for in the Ministerial Ordinance.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To provide labeling standards to facilitate the sorted collection of "containers and packaging
made of paper" and "containers and packaging made of plastic" by consumers and rubbish
collectors.  The collection of "containers and packaging made of paper" and "containers andpackaging made of plastic" contributes to the facilitation of the recycling and the protection
of the environment.
8. Relevant documents:   The basic law is the "amended Law for Promotion of Utilization of
Recyclable Resources".
9. Proposed date of adoption:  1st quarter, 2001
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 April 2001
10. Final date for comments:   22 November 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body: