Partial Amendment of the “Public Notice that Prescribes Details of  
Safety Regulations for Road Transport Vehicle”  
 
 
January 2013  
Road Transport Bureau , MILT  
 
 
1. Background  
 Currently, the motor vehicle emission from large -size vehicles is regulated based on 
emission gas volume evaluated by the official mode (JE05 mode) in Japan. In order to 
further  promote measures to reduce motor vehicle emissions, it is decided that Global 
Technical Regulations (GTR) No. 10 “Off-Cycle Emissions ,” established at the “World 
Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations ” of the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Europe (UNECE/WP.29)  will be introduced , as part of Japan ’s next -
phase regulation starting from FY 2016 , based on the  “Future Policy for Motor 
Vehicle Emission Reduction (Tenth Report) ” recommended by the Central 
Environmental Council in July 2010.  
 On the other hand, there have been several confirmed cases of increase in  NOx  emissions under 
Off-Cycle conditions from some heavy -duty diesel motor vehicles conform ing to the 2009 
regulation , prior to the introduction of the Off -Cycle Emissions GTR .  In order to tackle  this issue, 
a joint investigative committee was established by  the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport 
and Tourism and the Ministry of the Environment in FY 2011 and the committee made a report 
which recommended the countermeasures, such as (i) banning the application of engine control 
which increases regulat ed constituents of emissions from the vehicles under Off -Cycle condition 
and (ii) methods to evaluate the presence of such an application in engine s. 
 Based on the recommendation by the  committee, “Public Notice that Prescribes 
Details of Safety Regulations for Road Transport Vehicles ” (Public Notice of the 
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism, No. 619 of 2002 ; 
hereinafter referred to as the “Public Notice that Prescribes Details ”) will be 
amended in order to prevent increa ses of emissions from diesel motor vehicles under 
Off-Cycle condition.  
 
2. Outline of the Amendment  
(1) Amendment of the Public Notice that Prescribes Details (Article 41)  
      [Scope]  
 This revision will be applied to diesel motor vehicles with a gross vehicle 
weight above 3.5 ton (excluding a passenger car with 10 or fewer persons).  
      [Outline of the Amendment]  
 The engine control which increase s one or more  of the regulated constituents 
of emissions  (i.e., carbon monoxide, non-methane hydrocarbons , nitrogen 
oxides and particulate matter s) from the diesel motor v ehicles , under Off -
Cycle condition ( “Defeat Strategy") shall be prohibited.   
  The engine control  including  required to protect engine s or to secure vehicle s 
safety and required only at the time of starting engine or warm -up operation, 
will not be regarded as Defeat Strategy and thus not be subject to the 
regulation, defining the operation condition and the resolutive condition for 
such control.  
      [Entry into force ] 
 New Type Approval Vehicles : 1 October 2013  
 Vehicle s under the continuous productions : 1 March 2015  
 
(2) Others  
In accordance with the amendments aforementioned, the “Public Notice that 
Provides Matters Necessary for Application of Provisions in Chapter 2 and 3 of 
Safety Regulation for Road Transport Vehicles” (Public Notice of the Ministry of 
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, No.  1318  of 20 03) will be amended, 
as appropriate . 
 
3. Planned Schedule  
 Date of Publication : Late  March 2013  
 Entry into Force : Late  March 2013 ( simultaneously with the publication)