G/TBT/N/JPN/681  
16 December 2020  
(20-9111) 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)  
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):  Magnetic 
disc units; NUCLEAR REACTORS, BOILERS, MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES; 
PARTS THEREOF (HS 84)  
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document:  Revisions of the 
Ministerial Ordinance and the Notification of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 
(METI) 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 standards for targeted fiscal year 
(FY2023), measurement method, labeling requirement, etc. of the products listed in 
column 4.  
7. Objectiv e and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  To promote rationalization of energy use pertaining to magnetic disc unites 
in Japan, in order to cope with the recent increase of energy consumption in the business 
sector, climate  change, and so forth.; Protection of the environment  G/TBT/N/JPN/681  
 
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  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  
• Report on New Energy Conservation Standards for Magn etic Disc Units compiled 
by the Advisory Committee for Energy's working group (in Japanese);  
https://www.meti.go.jp/shingikai/enecho/shoen e_shinene/sho_energy/denshi_k
eisanki/pdf/20200820_01.pdf  
• These revisions are 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?lawId=354M500004
00074  
https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/category/saving_and_new/saving/enterprise/eq
uipment/pdf/07_jikidisc.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Around March 2021  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Around April 2021* (except labeling 
requirement**)  
* Target fiscal year for achieving the new standard is set to be FY2023.  
** As for labeling requirement, proposed date of entry into force is around March, 2022.  
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 8344  
Fax: + (81) 3 5501 8343  
E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/JPN/20_7744_00_e.pdf