WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
13 February 2002
(02-0718)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
JAPAN
The following notification, dated 31 January 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Japan.
_______________
I. MARINE PR ODUCTS .............................................................................................................2
A. I MPORT QUOTA ITEMS .................................................................................................................2
B. I MPORT APPROVAL ITEMS ...........................................................................................................5
II. MEDICINES AND CHEM ICAL PRO DUCTS .....................................................................8
III. PROPELLENT POWDERS ..................................................................................................11IV. NUCLEAR GOODS ............................................................................................................... 13
V. WEAP ONS ...................................................................................................................... ........15
VI. SILK PRODUCTS, SILK YARN, WOVEN FABRICS OF SILK, GAUZE OF
SILK........................................................................................................................... ..............17
VII. WILDLIFE ANIMA LS AND PL ANTS................................................................................19
A. I
MPORT QUOTA ITEMS ...............................................................................................................19
B. I MPORT APPROVAL ITEMS .........................................................................................................21
VIII. SUBSTANCES WHICH DEPLETE THE OZONE LAYER, SPECIFIED
HAZARDOUS CHEMI CAL WEAP ONS ............................................................................23
A. I MPORT QUOTA ITEMS ...............................................................................................................23
B. I MPORT APPROVAL ITEMS .........................................................................................................25
IX. ALCOHOL..................................................................................................................... .........27
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 2
I. MARINE PRODUCTS
A. IMPORT QUOTA ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. The Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry shall designate and publish a list of the items of
the goods in accordance with Import Trade Control Order Article 3 for which allocations of import
quota are required.  Importers of the items set out in the list shall be approved to import them by the
Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry according to Article 4 of the Order.  The approval of import
shall not be granted until importers apply for and obtain allocations of import quota in accordance with
Article 9 of the Order.
The list of import quota items shall be made public by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry in the Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Official Bulletin and the
International Trade Bulletin.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for the following marine products ("ex" indicates that only a part of the
heading is covered):
HS No. Items
ex 03.01 Herring, Cod, Yellow tail, Mack erel, Sardines, Horse-mackerel,
ex 03.02 Sauries, roes of Cod and Niboshi (small boiled and dried fish
ex 03.03 for seasoning), live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine
ex 03.04, ex 03.05
ex 03.07 Scallops, adductors of shellfish, cuttlefish and squid (excluding "Mongo ika")ex 12.12 Edible seaweeds and their food preparations
ex 21.06
3. In principle, the approval system applies to products originating or shipped in all countries.
4. In principle, import of the products list ed in 2 above is restricted quantitatively.
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(1) and Article 9.1.  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an Import Notice in the
Official Gazette.  The government may abolish the sy stem without legislative approval. (Consent of the
Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, w ho has the jurisdiction over the products listed in 2
above, is required.)
Procedures
6. In principle, the approval system applies to th e products originating or shipped in all countries.
I. The information about the application for import quota allocation shall be published in the
Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trad e and Industry (METI) Official Bulletin and the
International Trade Bulletin.  The total amount of import quota shall be published in the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry Official Bulletin and others. Import quota items are classified as follows:G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 3
Items Originating country
Herring, Cod, Yellow tail, Mackerel, Sardines, Horse- All countries
mackerel, Sauries, roes of Cod and Ni boshi(small (country of demand to export)
boiled and dried fish for seasoning), live,fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine
Scallops, adductors of shellfish, cuttlefish and All countries
squid (excluding "Mongo ika") (country of demand to export)
Edible seaweeds and its food preparations All countries
(country of demand to export)
An application for import quota allocation is not necessary when the value of a cargo is
estimated not more than 180,000 yen and of no commercial value.  In this case, a confirmation of the
customs is required when a declaration of import is submitted.
II. The scale of quota shall be determined, based on the balance of domestic supply and demand,
by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry with  the consent of the Minister for Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries, who has the jurisdiction over the products.
The scale of import quota is determined on a yearly basis, based on the forecast of domestic
supply and demand. A certificate of import quota is issued for each application submitted by
importers. If more than one applications are submitted, certificates of import quota of the same
number are issued in one import quota application.
III. Certificates of import quota are issued to impor ters such as trading companies. Importers shall
submit applications for certificates of import quota to  the METI.  Certificates of import approval are
issued to the importers who have certificates of im port quota issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade
and Industry.  Importers must submit the certificate of  import approval to the customs when they import
the items concerned.
Whether actual importation corresponds to the allocated import quota is confirmed by the report
of importation, which importers submit to the METI every month.  Importers are required to submit the
reports of imports according to the publ ication of the import quota application.
Unused allocations, in principle, are not adde d to the quota for a succeeding period because the
scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.  However, as an
exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding period, only on
condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For example, when delay is
inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are published in the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and I ndustry Official Bulletin and the International Trade Bulletin.
IV. Announcement of the information concerning app lication procedures shall be published at least
21 days prior to the first day of receiving applications.
V. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industr y processes applications for import quota as
quickly as possible once it receives them.  It us ually takes about three weeks to process them.
VI. Applications for import quota shall be submitte d prior to the import declaration.  After the
issuance of the certificate of import quota by the Mi nister for Economy, Trade and Industry, importersG/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 4
may declare import anytime, even on the very day of  the issuance of the certificate of import quota, as
long as they have certificates of import approv al issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry.
VII. Application for import quota shall be processe d only by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry.
VIII. The scale of import quota is determined so that it w ill satisfy the domestic needs.  When the
scale of import quota of the year is smaller than  the total quantity of import quota applied for by
importers, the capability of each importer (e.g. the importer's experience of obtaining an import quota
and of importing goods using the certificate of impor t quota) is mainly taken into account to allocate
import quotas.  A certain portion of import quotas are also available for importers without past
performance on a "first-come first-served" basis.
Applications for import quotas are processed on receipt.
IX.-XI. Not applicable.7. Not applicable.8. No application shall be refused if an applicat ion complies with the standard criteria (e.g. the
period of application, the eligibility of applicati on, the documentation for application) of application
procedures.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Qualification for the application for a certifi cate of import quota is described on publication of
the import quota application procedure. In principle, importers qualified for application should meet any
of the following three categories:
- An importer who has obtained a certificate of import quota and has imported products using the
certificate before;
- an importer who is ordered by the associations  of seafood processors which are authorized by
the Fisheries Agency to import products for them;
- an importer who has imported foods listed in Se ctions 1 to 4 of the Custom Tariff Schedule
before and intends to import products with a definite plan.
Any person or firm may apply for import approval.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. An applicant for import quota allocation shall submit to the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry an application form and a certificate s howing that the applican t meets the application
requirements.
11. A valid certificate of import approval issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry
and a certificate of import quota issued by the Mini ster for Economy, Trade and Industry, are required
upon actual importation.
12. There is no licensing fee or administ rative charge to obtain an approval.
13. No deposit or advance payment is requi red in connection with the approval.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 5
Conditions of licensing
14. A certificate of import quota, issued by the Mi nister for Economy, Trade and Industry, is valid
for six months, and a certificate of import approval , issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry based on the certificate of import quota, is valid for six months.
Although, in principle, the extension of certifi cates of import quota and import approval shall
not be permitted, it may be permitted in such a case where the importer who wishes to extend the
certificate is clearly not responsible for the fa ilure to import by the time the certificate expires.
Applications for the extension of certificates of import quota are receive d only by the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry.
As for applications for the extension of cer tificate of import approval, customs may receive
them when the proposed extension period is not long er than two months.  Otherwise the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry may receive them.
15. A penalty for an importer who does not utilize all or a part of import quota is as follows:
As for importers who obtained import quota al location on their own initiatives or on a
first-come, first-served basis, those who utilize less than 80 per cent of the allocated quota without any
justifiable reason shall not be given allocations in the following year.
As for importers who obtained import quota allocati on on behalf of users, those who utilize less
than 90 per cent of the allocated quota without any ju stifiable reason shall be given allocations in the
following year with a limit of the actual import performance of the year.
16. It shall not be allowed to assign licences to others.
17. In principle, there are no other conditions concerning the issuance of certificates of import
quota and import approval.
Other procedural requirements
18. There are no other administrative pr ocedures required prior to import.
19. There are no foreign exchange controls.
B. IMPORT APPROVAL ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. The Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry shall designate and publish a list of the items of
the goods in accordance with Import Trade Control Order Article 3 for which import approvals are
required.  Importers of the items set out in the list shall be approved to import them by the Minister for
Economy, Trade and Industry according to Article 4 of the Order.
The list of import approval items shall be made  public by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry in the Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Official Bulletin and the
International Trade Bulletin.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 6
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for th e following Marine Products:
(1) Marine mammals and their preparations:  HS Nos. 01.06, 02.08, 02.10, 15.04, 15.21, 16.01,
16.02, 23.01, 23.09
(2) Fish, crustaceans, other aquatics and their preparations:  HS Nos. 02.08, 02.10, 03.01, 03.02,
03.03, 03.04, 03.05, 03.06, 03.07, 15.04, 15.06, 16.04, 16.05, 21.06, 23.01, 23.09
(3) Products of animal origin (marine mammals , fish, crustaceans and mollusc):  HS Nos. 05.04,
05.06, 05.07, 05.08, 05.09, 05.11
(4) Seaweeds and their preparations:  HS Nos. 12.12, 21.06
(5) Whales and their preparations:  HS Nos. 01.06, 02.08, 02.10, 15.04, 15.21, 16.01, 16.02, 23.01,
23.09
(6) Salmon and (salmon) trout and thei r preparations:  HS Nos. 03.01, 03.02, 03.03, 03.04, 03.05,
16.04
(7) Bluefin tuna and their preparations:  HS Nos. 03.01, 03.02, 03.03, 03.04, 03.05, 16.04, 23.01,
23.09
(8) Bigeye tuna and their preparations:  HS Nos. 03.01, 03.02, 03.03, 03.04, 03.05, 16.04, 23.01,
23.09
(9) North atlantic Swordfish and their preparations:  HS Nos. 03.01, 03.02, 03.03, 03.04, 03.05,
16.04, 23.01, 23.09
3. The approval system applies to the products listed in:
paragraphs 2(1)-2(4) when they are shipped outside the waters of Japan (excluding the
products shipped in harbours in foreign countries and the products imported by the fishing
boats which left the Japanese territory and not trans-shipped from other fishing boats which
left places outside the Japanese territory);
paragraph 2(5) when they are imported from the non-member countries of the International
Whaling Commission (IWC) or the IWC me mber countries which conduct whaling;
paragraph 2(6) when they are imported from the People's Republic of China, North Korea or
Taiwan;
paragraph 2(7) when they are imported from Belize, Equatorial Guinea or Honduras (only
when their places of origin are these countries);
paragraph 2(8) when they are imported from Equatorial Guinea, Belize, Kingdom of
Cambodia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines or Honduras;
paragraph 2(9) when they are imported from Belize or Honduras (only when their places of
origin are these countries).
4. The licensing is not intended to restrict the quantity or value of imports.
The purpose of the measures described in 2(1)-(4) is to ensure that the fish products caught by
foreign fishermen and imported into Japan may not pose an adverse effect on the fishing activities by
Japanese fishermen.
The purpose of the measure described in 2(5) is to observe the resolution of the IWC, which
restricts the import of the whale meats and products from non-IWC members by IWC members.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 7
The purpose of the measure described in 2(6) is  to observe the provisions of Article 66 of
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provid e the principle that the state
of origin of the anadromous stocks shall have the primary interest in and responsibility for them.  The
purpose of the restriction described in 2(7)-(9) is to observe the resolution of the International
Commission For The Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(2).  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an Import Notice in the Official Gazette.
The government may abolish the system without legi slative approval.  (Consent of the Minister for
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who has the ju risdiction over the products listed in 2 above, is
required.)
Procedures
6. Not applicable.
7. There is no quantitative limit on the import of products.
(a) The items listed in 2 above shall not be imported without a certificate of import approval. An
importer shall apply for an import approval, taking into consideration the processing time of
application, which is around two weeks.
(b) Since sufficient time is necessary to examine the application, an approval cannot be granted
immediately on request.
(c) An application for import approval may be submitted anytime.
(d) An application for import approval shall be processed only by the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry.
8. See reply 8 of Import quota items.Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Any person, firm or institution which fulfils th e legal requirements of application may equally
apply for and obtain import approval.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. Applicants for an import approval shall submit to the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry
an application form and an application reason paper to request an import licence.
Importers who import the products listed in paragraph 2(5) shall also submit confirmation
issued by the Fisheries Agency, when the products or iginated or were shipped in Brazil, Norway, Peru,
South Korea, Spain or Russia.
Importers who import the products listed in paragraph 2.(6) shall also submit confirmation
issued by the Fisheries Agency, when the products or iginated or were shipped in China or North Korea.
In addition, the importers shall submit the certificat e issued by the Taiwanese Authorities, which
certifies that the products are not salmon or  trout which were caught by the fishing boats of Taiwan or
their preparations.
Importers who import the products listed in paragraph 2(7) shall submit confirmation issued
by the Fisheries Agency, when the products originated in Belize, Equatorial Guinea or Honduras.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 8
Importers who import the products listed in paragraph 2.(8) shall submit confirmation issued
by the Fisheries Agency, when the products originated in Equatorial Guinea, Belize, Kingdom of
Cambodia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines or Honduras.
Importers who import the products listed in 2(9) shall submit confirmation issued by the
Fisheries Agency, when the products originated in Belize or Honduras.
11. A valid certificate of import approval issued by  the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry is
required upon actual importation.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota items.13. See reply 13 of Import Quota items.
Conditions of licensing
14. A certificate of import approval is valid for si x months from the date on which the approval is
granted.  The Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry may designate a different validity term or may
extend the validity term of the approval of import when he deems it necessary to do so, taking into
consideration special circumstances.
As for applications for the extension of cer tificate of import approval, customs may receive
them when the proposed extension period is not long er than two months.  Otherwise the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry may receive them.
15. See reply 15 of Import Quota items.16. See reply 16 of Import Quota items.17. See reply 17 of Import Quota items.Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota items.19. See reply 19 of Import Quota items.
II. MEDICINES AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approval is required for the following medi cines and chemical products: Narcotic, chemical
products, category 1 Ps ychotropics, vaccines:
HS Nos. ex 12.11, ex 13.01, 13.02, ex 25.24, ex 29.03, ex 29.04, ex 29.09, ex 29.10, 29.14, ex 29.21, ex
29.22, ex 29.24, ex 29.26, ex 29.31, ex 29.32, ex 29.33, ex 29.34, ex 29.39, ex 30.02, ex 30.03, ex 30.04,
ex 34.04, ex 35.06, ex 36.05, ex 38.22, ex 38.24, ex 40.05, ex 40.16, ex 68.11, ex 68.12, ex 68.13.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 9
3. The approval system applies to the products  originating or shipped in all countries.
4. Import of the products listed in 2 above is rest ricted quantitatively in order to protect human,
animal or plant life or health.  A certificate of im port quota shall be properly issued to a person who has
been given a permission to use the products by the Mini stry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or the
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (either one that has the jurisdiction over the products).  When
an ordinary business unit is manifold, the scale of import quota shall be transacted according to the value
of import for the sake of convenience.
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(1) and Article 9.1.  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an Import Notice in theOfficial Gazette.  The government may abolish the sy stem without legislative approval. (Consent of the
Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or  the Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare (either
one that has the jurisdiction over the products) is required.)
Procedures
6. The approval system applies to the products  originating or shipped in all countries.
I. The information about the application for import quota allocation shall be published in the
Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trade a nd Industry Official Bulletin and the International
Trade Bulletin.  The total amount of import quota shal l be published in the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry Official Bulletin and others. Im port quota items are classified as follows:
- Medicines
- Chemical products- Vaccines against foot and mouth disease
An application for import quota allocation is not necessary when the value of a cargo is
estimated not more than 180,000 yen and of no commercial value.
In this case, a confirmation of customs is re quired when a declaration of import is submitted.
II. The scale of quota shall be determined based on the consideration of the protection of human,
animal or plant life or health.  When the Minister  for Economy, Trade and Industry designates the scale
of quota, he shall first obtain consent of the Minist er for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or the
Minister for Health, Labour and Welfare (either one that has the jurisdiction over the products.)  The
scale of import quota shall be determined on one-year or six-month basis.  A certificate of import quotais issued for each application submitted by importers.  If more than one applications are submitted,
certificates of import quota of the same number are issued in one import quota application.
III. Import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to protect
human, animal or plant life or health.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued to a person
who has obtained a permission to use the products from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries or the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welf are (either one that has the jurisdiction over the
items).
In principle, there is no confirmation whether a certificate of import quota is actually used for
imports or not.  Unused allocations are not added to the quota for a succeeding period as the allocation is
determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 10
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the information
concerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. As long as the size of an import quota applied for by an applicant is with in the limit of the size
of the quota calculated for the applicant, allocation can be fully granted.  Applications are examined on
receipt.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. See reply 6. X of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
XI. See reply 6. XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. The eligibility to apply for an im port quota varies according to the item.
- Narcotic: a person who has obtained permissi on of the Minister for Health, Labour and
Welfare.
- Chemical products: a person who desires to import the products for the purpose of
testing and research, or a person who has been given an order from such a person.
- Vaccine: a person who has obtained permission of the Minister for Health, Labour and
Welfare, or a person who has been given an unofficial notice by the Director-General,
Medicine Bureau, Ministry of  Health, Labour and Welfare.
The eligibility to apply for an import quota is an y of the categories listed above, and there is no
other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 11
Conditions of licensing
14. A certificate of import quota, issued by the Mi nister for Economy, Trade and Industry, is valid
for four months, and a certificate of import approv al, issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry based on the certificate of import quota, is valid for six months.
15. In principle, no penalty shall be imposed for the non-utilization of all or a part of allocated
import quotas.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
III. PROPELLENT POWDERS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for the following items: Propellent powders, prepared explosives, safety
fuses, etc. HS Nos. 36.01, 36.02, ex 36.03.
3. See reply 3 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order
to protect the essential security interests.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued to aperson who has a permission to manufacture or sell the products.
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(1) and Article 9.1.  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an Import Notice in the
Official Gazette. The government may abolis h the system without legislative approval.
Procedures
6. The approval system applies to the products  originating or shipped in all countries.
I. The information about application for import shall be published in the Official Gazette, Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry Official Bulle tin and the International Trade Bulletin.
The total amount of import quota is not published.An application for import quota allocation is not necessary when the value of a cargo is
estimated not more than 180,000 yen and of no commercial value.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 12
In this case, a confirmation of customs is required when a declaration of import is submitted.
II. The scale of import quota shall be determined taking into account the necessity to protect
essential security interests.  The scale of import quota shall be determined on a yearly basis.
In principle, in one import quota application procedure, an application shall be transacted only
once and a certificate of import quota is issued based on this application.  If more than oneapplications are submitted, certificates of import quota of the same number are issued in one import
quota application procedure.
III. Import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to protect
essential security interests.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued to a person who has
a permission to manufacture or sell propellent powders.
In principle, there is no confirmation whether a certificate of import quota is actually used for
imports or not.  Unused allocations, in principle,  are not added to the quota for a succeeding period
because the scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.
However, as an exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding
period, only on condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For
example, when delay is inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the information
concerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. See reply 6. X of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
XI. See reply 6. XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Anyone who has a permission to manufacture or sell propellent powders is eligible to apply for
import quotas.  There is no other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 13
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
IV. NUCLEAR GOODS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for the following items: Nu clear materials, nuclear fuel, nuclear reactors,
instruments and apparatus containing nuclear fuel  materials, for measuring or detecting ionising
radiations, tubes of zirconium, etc.  HS Nos. 26.12, ex 28.44, ex 81.09, 84.01, ex 90.30.
3. See reply 3 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to
protect essential security interests.  A certificate of  import quota shall be properly issued to a person who
has a permission to refine, process, or reproce ss nuclear goods or to establish nuclear reactors.
5. See reply 5 in Propellent Powders section.Procedures
6. The permit system applies to products originating or shipped in all countries.I. See reply 6.I in Propellent Powders section.II. See reply 6.II in Propellent Powders section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 14
III. Import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to protect
essential security interests. A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued to a person who has a
permission to refine, process, or reprocess nuclear goods or to establish nuclear reactors.
In principle, there is no confirmation whether a certificate of import quota is actually used for
imports or not. Unused allocations, in principle,  are not added to the quota for a succeeding period
because the scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.
However, as an exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding
period, only on condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For
example, when delay is inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the information
concerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. See reply 6. X of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
XI. See reply 6. XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Anyone that has a permission to refine, process,  or reprocess nuclear goods to establish nuclear
reactors is eligible to apply for import quot as.  There is no other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 15
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
V. WEAPONS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approval is required for the following items:
Weapons, ammunition, accessories and parts thereof.:  HS Nos. ex 84.11, ex 84.12, 87.10, ex
88.02, ex 89.06, 93.01, 93.02, 93.03, 93.04, ex 93.05, 93.06, 93.07.
3. See reply 3 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to
protect essential security interests.  A certificate of  import quota shall be properly issued to a person who
is entrusted to import them by public bodies (state  or local) or who obtains  manufacturing permission.
5. See reply 5 in Propellent Powders section.Procedures
6.I. See reply 6.I in Propellent Powders section.II. See reply 6.II in Propellent Powders section.
III. Import of the products listed in 2. above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to protect
essential security interests.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued to a person who is
entrusted to import the products by public bodies (state or local) or who obtains manufacturing
permission.  Whether actual importation corresponds to the issued import quota is confirmed by the
report of importation, which importers submit to the METI every month.  Importers are required tosubmit the report of imports according to the publication of the import quota application.
Unused allocations, in principle, are not added to the quota for a succeeding period because
the scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.  However,
as an exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding period,
only on condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For example, whendelay is inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 16
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the information
concerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. See reply 6. X of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
XI. See reply 6. XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Anyone that is entrusted to import by pub lic bodies (state or local) or who obtains
manufacturing permission is eligible to apply for im port quotas.  There is no other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 17
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. SILK PRODUCTS, SILK YARN, WOVEN FABRICS OF SILK, GAUZE OF SILK
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for the following items:
HS No. ex50.07 - Woven fabrics of silk (excluding fabrics of noil and of silk and other fibre
mixture)
HS No. ex58.03 - Gauze of silk
3. The permit system applies to the products listed in 2 above and shipped in the People's
Republic of China.
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively.  The
approval system is to ensure the effectiveness of the results of bilateral negotiations.  Alternative
methods of accomplishing the same purpose have not been considered.
5. See reply 5 in Propellent Powders section.Procedures
6.I. The information about the application for import quota allocation shall be published in the
Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trade a nd Industry Official Bulletin and the International
Trade Bulletin.  The total amount of import quota shal l be published in the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry Official Bulletin and others. Im port quota items are classified as follows:
Item:  Woven fabrics of silk (excluding fabrics of noi l and of silk and other fibre mixture), gauze of silk
Originating country: People's Re public of China.
An application for import quota allocation is not necessary when the value of a cargo is
estimated not more than 180,000 yen and of no commercial value.
In this case, a confirmation of customs is re quired when a declaration of import is submitted.
II. The scale of quota shall be determined taking into account bilateral negotiations.  The scale of
import quota is determined on a yearly basis, based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.
A certificate of import quota is issued for each application submitted by importers.  If more than one
applications are submitted, certificates of import quota of the same number are issued in one importquota application.
III. Certificates of import quota are issued to importe rs such as trading companies.  Importers shall
submit applications for certificates of import quota to  the METI.  Certificates of import approval are
issued to the importers who are granted certificates  of import quota by the Minister for Economy, Trade
and Industry. Importers must submit the certificate of  import approval to customs when they import the
items concerned.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 18
Whether actual importation corresponds to the issued import quota is confirmed by the report
of importation which importers submit to the METI every month.  Importers are required to submit
the report of imports according to the publication of import quota application.
Unused allocations, in principle, are not adde d to the quota for a succeeding period because the
scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand.  However, as an
exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding period, only on
condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For example, when delay is
inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the informationconcerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota it ems in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
Ⅸ. When export licences are issued by exporting countries, import licences are necessary. Import
licences are not issued automatically.
X. Not applicable.
XI. See reply 6.XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.7. There is no quantitative limit on the import of products.(a) The items listed in 2 above shall not be imported without a certificate of import approval.  An
importer shall apply for an import approval, taking into consideration the processing time of
application, which is around two weeks.
(b) Since sufficient time is necessary to examine the application, an approval cannot be granted
immediately on request.
(c) An application for import approval may be submitted anytime.(d) Application for import approval shall be processed only by the METI.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota item s in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for a licence
9. Qualification for the application for a certificate of import quota is described on publication
of the import quota application. In principle, importers who are qualified for application should be any
of the following two categories:
- an importer who has obtained a certificate of import quota and has imported goods using theG/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 19
certificate of import quota before;
- an importer who intends to import products for which allocations of import quotas are required
with a definite plan.
Any person or firm may apply for import approval.
Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota items  in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota items  in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota items  in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota items  in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines an d Chemical Products section.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines an d Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.19. See reply 19 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. WILDLIFE ANIMALS AND PLANTS
A. I
MPORT QUOTA ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for:
- Animals (excluding sperm whale, bird's bakes whale, mink whale, seiwhale bryde's whale and
finwhale) and plants set out in Annex I of th e Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ("Was hington Convention") and parts thereof.
- Eggs, seeds, bulbs, fruits (including peel), stuf fed or processed animal products and plants set
out in Annex I of the Washington Convention
3. The approval system applies to products originating or shipped in all countries.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 20
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above is restricted quantitatively in order to
implement the duty of the convention.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued for the
transactions conducted according to the Washington Convention.
5. See reply 5 in Propellent Powders section.Procedures
6. In principle, the approval system applies to products originating or shipped in all countries.
I. The information about the application for import quota allocation shall be published in the
Official Gazette, the Ministry of Economy, Trade a nd Industry Official Bulletin and the International
Trade Bulletin.
The total amount is not published.
In principle, there is no exception or derogation from the licensing requirements.
II. The scale of quotas shall be determined considering the implementation of the duty of the
Washington Convention.  The scale of import quotas shall be determined on one-year basis.
A certificate of import quota is issued for each application submitted by importers. If more
than one applications are submitted, certificates of import quota of the same number are issued in one
import quota application.
III. Import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to
implement the duty of the Washington Convention.  A certificate of import quota shall be properly
issued to a person who complies with the procedure under the Convention.
Whether a certificate of import quota was actually used for imports or not shall be confirmed
by the import circumstance report which the importer shall submit every month.
In principle, unused allocations are not added to the quotas for a succeeding period.
The names of importers to whom certificates of import quota are issued are not made public
because a person who obtains the certificate is from a private company and the information
concerning the import quota allocation is the private company's secret (e.g. contract contents).
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. When imports are allowed on the basis of export permits only, the government confirms the
validity of the export permits with exporting countries.   Certificates of import quota shall be issued to
the importer who holds valid export permits.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 21
XI. See reply 6.XI of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Importers qualified for import quota application are (a) museums or zoos that utilize the items
for academic research, (b) importers of artificial pr opagation animals or plants for businesses, and (c)
the importers of animals or plants that had been  acquired before the convention entered into force.
Importers qualified for applying for import quota shall be one of the categories (a)-(c)
mentioned above.  There is no other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. A certificate of import quota, issued by the Mi nister for Economy, Trade and Industry, is valid
for four months, and a certificate of import approv al, issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry based on the certificate for the import quota, is valid for six months.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. Importers shall submit the original of the export permit or the certificate of re-export to the
customs authorities when importers make an import declaration to a customs bureau with a certificate
of import approval issued based on a certificate of import quota.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
B. IMPORT APPROVAL ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Approval ite ms in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 22
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for:
- Animals and plants which belong to the sp ecies listed in Annex II of the Washington
Convention (except for whales and their preparati ons), as well as their parts and derivatives (as
for plants, only the parts and derivatives specified in the Annex).
- Animals and plants which belong to the species listed in Annex III of the Washington
Convention, as well as their parts and derivatives specified in the Annex, which originate in
the countries listed in the Annex.
3. As for 2(1), the approval system applies to the animals and plants originating or shipped in the
countries which are not the members of the Was hington Convention and do not have a management
authority.
As for 2(2), the approval system applies to the animals and plants shipped in the countries
which are not the members of the Washington Conv ention and do not have a management authority.
4. The approval system is intended not to restrict the quantity or value of imports but to implement
the duty of the Washington Conventi on. In principle, a certificate of import approval is not issued.
Alternative methods of accomplishing the same purpose have not been considered.
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(2).  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an Import Notice in the Official Gazette.
The government may abolish the system without legi slative approval.  (Consent of the Minister for
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who has the ju risdiction over the products listed in 2. above, is
required.)
Procedures
6. No procedures.7. Not applicable.
8. In principle, approval shall not be given.
Eligibility of importers to apply for a licence
9. Not applicable.Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10-13. Not applicable.
Conditions of licensing
14-17. Not applicable.
Other procedural requirements
18-19. Not applicable.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 23
VIII.  SUBSTANCES WHICH DEPLETE THE OZONE LAYER, SPECIFIED
HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL WEAPONS
A. IMPORT QUOTA ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for the substances listed in:
Annex A, Group I of Mont real Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer ("Montreal
Protocol") (excluding those im ported by the importers who are required to obtain approval in
accordance with Article 4.1(ii) of the Import Trade C ontrol Order, those used as raw materials for
producing other substances and those used for laboratory research and analytical purpose);
Annex A, Group II of the Montreal  Protocol (excluding those imported by the importers who
are required to obtain approval in accordance with Article 4.1(ii) of the Import Trade Control Order and
those used as raw materials for producing other substances);
Annex B of the Montreal Protocol (excluding those imported by the importers who are required
to obtain approval in accordance with Article 4.1(ii) of the Import Trade Control Order, those used as
raw materials for producing other substances and those used for laboratory research and analytical
purpose);
Annex C, Group I of the Montreal  Protocol (excluding those im ported by the importers who are
required to obtain approval in accordance with Ar ticle 4.1(ii) of the Import Trade Control Order and
those used as raw materials for producing other substances);
Annex C, Group II of the Montreal  Protocol (excluding those imported by the importers who
are required to obtain approval in accordance with Article 4.1(ii) of the Import Trade Control Order, and
those used as raw materials for producing other substances);  and
Annex E of the Montreal Protoc ol (excluding those used as raw materials for producing other
substances and those used for the guarantee purpose in exporting or importing goods).
3. The approval system applies to products originating or shipped in all countries.
4. In principle, import of the products listed in 2 above is restricted quantitatively in order to
implement the duty of the Montreal  Protocol.  A certificate of im port quota shall be properly issued
when transactions are conducted in compliance with the Protocol.
5. See reply 5 in Propellent Powders section.Procedures
6.I. See reply 6.I of Pr opellent Powders section.
II. The scale of import quota shall be determined  considering the implementation of the duty of
the Montreal Protocol. It shall be determined on one-year basis. A certificate of import quota is issuedG/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 24
for each application submitted by importers. If more than one applications are submitted, certificates
of import quota of the same number are issued in one import quota application procedure.
III. Import of the products listed in 2 above shall be restricted quantitatively in order to
implement the duty of the Montreal Protocol. A certificate of import quota shall be properly issued toa person who conducts transaction in compliance with the procedure under the Protocol.
Whether a certificate of import quota are actually used for imports or not shall be confirmed
by the report of importation, which importers shall submit every month.
Unused allocations, in principle, are not added to the quota for a succeeding period because
the scale of allocation is determined based on the forecast of domestic supply and demand. However,
as an exception, it may be allowed to add unused allocations to the quota for a succeeding period,
only on condition that importers have no responsibility for the failure to import.  (For example, whendelay is inevitable due to the ban of export imposed by the exporter’s country, etc.)
IV. See reply 6. IV of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
V. See reply 6. V of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
VI. See reply 6. VI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VII. See reply 6. VII of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
VIII. See reply 6. VIII in Medicines and Chemical Products section.
IX. See reply 6. IX of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
X. See reply 6. X of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
XI. See reply 6. XI of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
7. See reply 7 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
8. See reply 8 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Anyone that conducts transactions in complia nce with the Protocol may apply for approval.
There is no other registration system.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. See reply 10 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
11. See reply 11 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 25
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
17. See reply 17 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Quota ite ms in Marine Products section.
B. IMPORT APPROVAL ITEMS
Outline of systems
1. See reply 1 of Import Approval ite ms in Marine Products section.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Approvals are required for:
- Controlled substances listed in Annex A, B, C, Group II and D of the Mont real Protocol shipped
in non-member countries of the Protocol.
- Specified hazardous wastes set out in Article 2.1 of the Law for the Control of the Export and
Import of Specified Hazardous Wastes and Other Wastes.
- Wastes set out in Article 2.1 of the Waste Management and Public Cleaning Law (except for
wastes produced during ship or aircraft navigati on as provided for in Article 2.4.(2) of the Law
and for wastes carried by a person who enters Japan).
- Specified products set out in Article 2.3 of  the Law on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
and Regulation and the chemical substanc es set out in Article 2.5 of the Law.
3. The approval system applies to the items liste d in paragraph 2.(1), with regard to the items
shipped in non-member countries of the Protocol.
The approval system applies to the items listed in  paragraphs 2.(2) to 2.(4), with regard to the
items shipped in all countries.
4. The approval system is not intended to restrict the quantity or value of imports.  The approval
system is to implement the duty of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer, the Basel Convention on the Control of Mo vements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal,
Waste Disposal and the Public Cleansing Law, and the Law on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
and the Regulation of Specific Chemicals.  Alternative methods of accomplishing the same purposehave not yet been considered.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 26
5. The approval system is a statutory require ment of the Import Trade Control Order Article
4.1.(2).  The list of the controlled items shall be published as an IMPORT NOTICE in the Official
Gazette.  The government may abolish the system wit hout legislative approval.  (Consent of the Minister
for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who has the ju risdiction over these products listed in 2. above, is
required.)
Procedures
6. Not applicable.7.(a) See reply 7.(a) of Import Approval  items in Marine Products section.
(b) See reply 7.(b) of Import Approval  items in Marine Products section.
(c) See reply 7.(c) of Import Approval  items in Marine Products section.
(d) See reply 7.(d) of Import Approval  items in Marine Products section.
8. No application shall be refused if it complie s with the standard criteria (e.g. the period of
application, the eligibility of application, the documen tation for application) of application procedures.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. See reply 9 of Import Approval ite ms in Marine Products section.
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence
10. An applicant for import quota allocation shall submit to the Minister for Economy, Trade and
Industry an application form and a certificate showin g that the applicant meets application requirements.
11. See reply 11 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.
12. See reply 12 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.
13. See reply 13 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.
Conditions of licensing
14. See reply 14 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
15. See reply 15 in Medicines a nd Chemical Products section.
16. See reply 16 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.
17. In principle, there are no other conditions concerning the issuance of certificates of import
quota and import approval.
Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.
19. See reply 19 of Import Approval items in Marine Products section.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 27
IX. ALCOHOL
Outline of systems
1. An importer who intends to import alcohol (which contains alcohol of 90 per cent by volume
or higher (HS No. 2207.10)) for the purpose of test, research or analysis shall obtain the approval of
the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry for each import.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. An importer who intends to import alcohol (which contains alcohol of 90 per cent by volume
or higher (HS No. 2207.10)) for the purpose of test, research or analysis shall obtain the approval of
Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry for each import.
3. The approval system applies to the products from all countries.4. The purpose of the approval system is not to regulate the value or quantity of imported
alcohol.  However, the quantity must be appropriate judging from the purpose of its use.  The purposeof the approval system is to allow those who are not the permitted importers of alcohol to import and
use it for test, research or analysis.  (In principle, importers can import alcohol freely if they have
permission of the import business according to the Alcohol Business Law Article 16.)
5. Approval by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry is required in accordance with
Article 17 of the Alcohol Business Law. Legislation approval is necessary to abolish the licensing
system.
Procedures
6. There is no import quota , but the import quantity must be appropriate judging from the
purpose of its use.  The approval system applies to products from all countries.
I. An application shall be submitted in accordance with application form No.17 of enforcement
regulation of the Alcohol Business Law, which was published in “KAMPO” (Official Government
Gazette) dated October 5, 2000.
II-IV. There is no import quota.
V. The process of application is carried out within two weeks.VI. Importers may declare import any time after they obtain import approval in accordance with
Alcohol Business Law.
VII. Approval is given only by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry.VIII-IX. There is no import quota.X. Not applicable.XI. Approval shall be granted only when alcohol is imported for the purpose of test, research, or
analysis.
7.(a) An importer shall apply for import approval, taking into consideration the processing time of
application, which is usually two weeks.G/LIC/N/3/JPN/2
Page 28
(b) Because sufficient time is required for processing, an import approval can not be granted
immediately on request.
(c) There is no limitation.(d) Processing of import approval shall be carried out only by the Minister for Economy, Trade
and Industry.
8. No application shall be refused if an application complies with the standard criteria (e.g. the
period of application, the eligibility of applicati on, the documentation for application) of application
procedures.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. There is no restriction.
Documentation and other requirements for application for licence
10. Application for the import approval shall be submitted to the Minister for Economy, Trade
and Industry in accordance with the application form No.17 of enforcement regulation of the Alcohol
Business Law.
11. A valid certificate of import approval issued by the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry
is required upon an actual importation.
12-13. Not applicable.Conditions of licensing
14. Approval should be given not to applicants but to the conduct of import for the purpose of
test, research or analysis.  Therefore importers of alcohol shall obtain approval of the Minister for
Economy, Trade and Industry for each import and the approval is valid only for the import.
Therefore, there is no term of validity.
15. Penalty is imposed when the content of the actual import is different from the one in the
application form.
16. See reply 16 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.17. See reply 17 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.Other procedural requirements
18. See reply 18 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.19. See reply 19 of Import Quota items in Marine Products section.
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