RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/VAL/W/93
1 February 2002
(02-0504)
Committee on Customs Valuation Original:  English
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON CUSTOMS VALUATION
JAPAN
The following communication, dated 24 January 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Japan.
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At the meeting of the Committee on Customs Valuation on 25 October 2001, Japan expressed
its intention to provide further written information on technical assistance activities with regard tocustoms valuation undertaken by Japan.  Enclosed is an explanatory note for that purpose.  It would
be appreciated if the attached paper could be distributed to Members.
_______________G/VAL/W/93
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Technical Assistance on Customs Valuation by Japan for 1995-2001
Japan attaches great importance to the multilateral trading system based on the WTO, and has
been actively conducting various programs to support developing countries in implementing the WTOAgreements adequately and steadily.
I. MULTILATERAL COOPERATION THROUGH THE WORLD CUSTOMS
ORGANIZATION (WCO)
To secure implementation of the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement, it is indispensable to
deliver technical assistance in the field of customs administration.  In this respect, Japan has been
cooperating with the WCO, a multilateral organization used by the customs administrations ofmember countries, in providing technical assistance to developing countries, both in terms of financial
and human resources.
A. 
DISPATCH OF EXPERTS
Japan has dispatched various experts in the field of customs valuation to developing countries
in order to explain the principles of the Customs Valuation Agreement, to support the development of
a legal system for implementing the Agreement, and also to explain the rules on determining a
customs value to those customs officials concerned.  In this connection, Japan has made its selection
of countries, the number of necessary experts and the period of dispatch in accordance with the views
and experiences expressed by dispatched experts, as well as the balance noted between customsvaluation and other areas relating to customs technical cooperation programs.
Year
Country targeted (number of dispatched experts) Period of dispatch
1995 Indonesia (2) 7 days
1996 Indonesia (1) 12 days
1998 Bangladesh, Pakistan, India (1 for each) 5 days
1999 Zimbabwe, Cuba (1 for each) 5 days
2000 Malaysia, Maldives, Bangladesh, Thailand (2 for each)
Fiji, Peru, Myanmar, China (1 for each)5 days
2001 Chile (2)
China, Mozambique, Nepal, Sudan, Myanmar,Indonesia, Estonia, Pakistan, Viet Nam (1 for each)5 days (except for
Viet Nam 12 days)
B. D
ISPATCH OF A LECTURER TO REGIONAL SEMINARS
Japan has held seminars for customs officials from the developing countries of each region.  It
has also dispatched customs officials specializing in customs valuation for the purpose of exchangingviews on the common problems relating to customs valuation, such as developing a legal system to
implement the Customs Valuation Agreement, discussing on the rules for determining a customs
value and conducting case studies.
When choosing the host country and the number of officials dispatched, Japan cooperates
with the WCO, while at the same time taking into account, among others, the following factors: the
views of those developing countries keen to convene a regional seminar in the field of customs
valuation, the far-reaching effects of holding a seminar to other countries in the area, and a balance
between customs valuation and other areas relating to customs technical cooperation.G/VAL/W/93
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Year Country designated Number of dispatched officials
1995 Malaysia 2
1996 Mauritius 11997 Viet Nam, Philippines 1 for each
1999 Thailand 1
2000 Malaysia 2
2001 Thailand, Brazil 2 for Thailand, 1 for Brazil
C. 
SPONSORSHIP FOR THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM*
Japan supports the Fellowship Program, which offers high-level training courses on customs
valuation, including the implementation of the Agreement, for customs officials from developing
countries.
* The Fellowship Program is a technical cooperatio n program, among others, of the WCO, which
aims at training customs officers from developi ng countries for 4 weeks at the WCO Secretariat.
Officers receive management training in the field of customs valuation, including the application and
implementation of the Customs Valuation Agreement, and then are given practical training in Japan
for 2 weeks.
Year Country involved in the Fellowship Program
1995 Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Madagascar, Burkina Faso
1996 Namibia, Uganda, Mongolia, Senegal, Tunisia
1997 Maldives, Viet Nam, Saudi Arabia, Senegal1998 Bangladesh, Swaziland
1999 Indonesia, Namibia, Peru, Uganda
II. REGIONAL COOPERATION THROUGH THE APEC
Japan, based on the Strategic APEC Plan for APEC WTO-related Capacity Building activities
endorsed at the Ministerial and Leaders' Meetings of 2000, proposed technical assistance projects on
implementing of customs-related WTO Agreements at the APEC Sub-committee on CustomsProcedures (SCCP) meeting convened in February 2001, which were subsequently approved.
In May 2001, under the project framework, Japan held a workshop on the implementation of
Customs-related WTO Agreements, which as attended by experts from customs administrations in
Japan and other developed economies.  The workshop itself identified the difficulties and problemsencountered when implementing the WTO Agreements.  To overcome the difficulties and problems,
participants drew up the Menu of Implementation Option, which lists the elements to be implemented,
and worked out a draft of road map for voluntary implementation.
III. BILATERAL COOPERATION THROUGH THE JAPAN INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA)
A. 
ACCEPTANCE OF TRAINEES
As part of a program for accepting trainees (customs officials) from developing countries,
Japan has accepted many trainees in the field of customs valuation.G/VAL/W/93
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Year Number of trainees Beneficiary countries
1995 21 21
1996 21 211997 45 31
1998 45 29
1999 48 27
2000 59 26
B. 
DISPATCH OF EXPERTS
In response to the needs expressed by developing countries, Japan has dispatched customs
officials specializing in customs valuation to the go vernments concerned in order to give advise and
hold seminars on customs administration.
Year Country designated (number of dispatched officials) Period of dispatch
1997 Kenya, Ghana (2 for each) 16 days
1998 Viet Nam (1) 8 days
1999 Viet Nam (1)
Mongolia (2)14 days
5 days
2000 Malaysia (1) 10 days.
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