G/TBT/N/JPN/636  
17 October 2019  
(19-6768) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  JAPAN   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of 
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of 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):  Passenger 
vehicles (in addition to vehicles already subject to the current standards, electric vehicles 
and plug -in hybrid vehicles, which are expected to become widespread to a considerable 
extent in years to come, are also made subject to the new standards. More specifically, 
this revision includes passenger vehicles fueled by gasoline, diesel, or LPG and passenger 
vehicles with engines powered by externally charged electricity that have a carrying 
capacity of up to 9 passengers or that have a carrying capacity of 10 or more passengers 
and a gross vehicle weight up to 3.5t, limiting to type approved vehicles.)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Revisions of the 
cabinet order, the ministerial ordinance and the Notification of the Ministry of Economy, 
Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism 
(MLIT) under the Act on the Rational Use of Energy. (3 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  These revisions of the standards under the Act on the Rational 
Use of Energy include energy consumption efficiency (fuel efficiency) standards for a 
targeted fiscal year (FY2030), measurement method, requirement for indication, etc. of 
the products listed in column 4.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  To promote rationalization of overall energy consumption in Japan through 
popularization of machineries and equipments with high energy consumption efficiency, 
in order to cope with the recent increase of energy consumption in the transport sector, 
climat e change, and so forth.  
8. Relevant documents:   
• The Act on the Rational Use of Energy;  
https://elaws.e -
gov.go.jp/search/elawsSearch/elaws_search/lsg0500/detail?lawId=354AC00000
00049  
• The report on the legislation of the standards under the Act on the Rational Use 
of Energy compiled by the Advisory Committee for Energy's working group and G/TBT/N/JPN/636  
 
- 2 - 
 
  the Advisory Committee for Transport Policy (in Japanese);  
https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/enecho/shoene_shinene/sho _energy/jidosha_
handan/pdf/20190625001_1.pdf  
This revision is to be publicised in the Official Government Gazette "KAMPO" when 
adopted. Regulations before amendment are available at the following site (in 
Japanese);  
https://elaws.e -
gov.go.jp/search/elawsSearch/elaws_search/lsg0500/detail?l awId=354CO0000000267  
https://elaws .e-
gov.go.jp/search/elawsSearch/elaws_search/lsg0500/detail?lawId=354M50000400074  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  December 2019  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Around Spring of 2020* (except requirement for 
indication**)  
* Target fiscal year for achieving the new standard is set to be FY2030.  
** As for requirement of indication, proposed date of entry into force is around fall of 
2020.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
International Trade Division  
Economic Affairs Bureau  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda -ku 
Tokyo 100 -8919, Japan  
Tel.: +(81) 3 5501 8 344  
Fax: +(81) 3 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/TBT/JPN/19_5717_00_e.pdf