RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SG/Q1/JPN/2
23September 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3742)
Original: English Committee onSafeguards
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS UNDER
ARTICLE 12.6OFTHE AGREEMENT
Replies ofJAPAN1toquestions posed byCANADA2
Thefollowing communication, dated 11September 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofJapan.
_______________
Q1. Thenotification indicates thattheMinistry ofFinance, theMinistry ofInternational Trade and
IndustryandtheotherMinistrieshavejurisdictionascompetentauthoritiesovertheproduct(s)concerned
withsafeguards. Please clarify therespective roles ofthese Ministries intheinitiation andconduct
ofsafeguard investigations.
A1. TheMinistry ofInternational Trade andIndustry, theMinistry ofFinance andtheMinistry
having jurisdiction overtheproduct concerned willmake ajointdecision toinitiate aninvestigation,
andtheyshallconduct investigations jointly andcollectively.
Q2. Iscausality between anincrease ofimports andserious injury specifically provided forin
Japanese legislation andifso,where?
A2. Asforimport restriction measures, Article 2ofthe"Regulations" provides that"theMinister
ofInternational Trade andIndustry mayprovoke animport quota inthecasewhere theimportation
intoJapan iscausing orthreatening tocause serious injury tothedomestic industry concerned". So
acausal linkbetween importation andserious injury etc.isspecified.
Asfortariff measures, inthesame wayasimport restriction measures, Article 9.1ofthe
"Customs Tariff Law" provides thatatariff measure maybetaken inthecasewhere there isafact
thatanyproduct ofaparticular kindisbeing imported inincreased quantities andtheimport ofsuch
product causes orthreatens tocause serious injury tothedomestic industry". Soacausal linkbetween
importation andserious injury etc.isspecified.
Q3. Pleaseindicatewherethedefinitionsof"seriousinjury"and"threatofseriousinjury"aredefined
inthenotified lawsandregulations?
1G/SG/N/1/JPN/2 +Corr.1
2G/SG/W/71
./.G/SG/Q1/JPN/2
Page2
A3. These arenotdefined inthedomestic legislation. However, weinterpret "serious injury" and
"threat ofserious injury" based ontheAgreement onSafeguards.
Q4. Canprovisional safeguard measures betaken andifso,under whatconditions?
A4. InJapan, provisional measures canbetaken onlyastariff measures. Under Paragraph 8of
Article 9oftheCustoms Tariff Law, ifthefactofimport increase ofaparticular product andthefact
ofserious injury toadomestic industry caused bysuchimportation arepresumed based onsufficient
evidence anditisdeemed particularly andurgently necessary intheinterest ofthenational economy,
theGovernment maytaketariff measures evenprior tothecompletion ofinvestigation inaccordance
withtheAgreement onSafeguards.
Q5. Article 12:Regulations toGovern Emergency Measures tobeTaken inResponse toanIncrease
intheImportation ofGoods and,Articles 4and6:Cabinet Order Relating toEmergency Duties:
Cantheforeign producer ofaproduct under investigation andthenational government
ofthatproducer beconsidered "Interested Parties" andassuchparticipate fullyin
aninvestigation?
A.5 Foreign producers ofaproduct under investigation areconsidered interested parties, sothey
maysubmit evidence andgivetestimony andhaveaccess tothesubmissions made byother interested
parties.
However wedonotbelieve thenational government ofthese producers hasthestatus of
"interested party".
Q6. Judicial and/or administrative review procedures:
Does Japan 'snotified lawsandregulations related tosafeguard measures provide for
domestic appeal/review proceedings? Ifso,please indicate theapplicable article(s)
oftherelevant lawsandregulations.
A6. Japan'snotified lawsandregulations donotprovide fordomestic appeal/review proceedings
specifically designed forsafeguard measures.
Therefore, general procedure lawforadministrative disputes willbeapplied tosuchacase.