G/TBT/N/JPN/492  
 
1 July 2015  
(15-3375)  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 the 
Environment (MoE)  
Name and address (including telephon e 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 applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Mercury-added 
products for new use (i.e. mercury-added products not covered by any known use of mercury-added products prior to the date of entry into force of the Minamata Convention on 
Mercury designated as "mercury-added produc ts for known use" under the Ministerial 
Ordinance of the Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: Ministerial 
Ordinance of the Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury (11 pages, in English)  
6. Description of content: Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury restricts the 
manufacture and distribution in commerce of "mercury-added products for new use", unless an assessment of the risks and benefits of the product demonstrates environmental or 
human health benefits. Businesses intending to be engaged in the manufacture or 
distribution in commerce of "mercury-added products for new use" are required to carry out a self-assessment of use of their "mercury-a dded products for new use" and notify its 
result to the competent minister.  
The Ministerial Ordinance of the Act specifies "mercury-added products for known use" and 
the method of the self-assessment of the manufacture or distribution in commerce of "mercury-added products for new use". 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: To ensure the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to 
further promote the prevention of environmenta l pollution by mercury, and to protect the 
human health and the environment from mercury.  
8. Relevant documents:  
 Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury (Act No.42 of 2015) 
 Ministerial Ordinance is to be publicised in the Official Government Gazette "KAMPO" 
when adopted 
 Minamata Convention on Mercury 
(Articles 4(6)): http://www.mercuryconvention.org/ Portals/11/documents/Booklets
/Minamata%20Convention%20on%20Mercury_booklet_English.pdf  G/TBT/N/JPN/492 
 
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  9. Proposed date of adoption: Around September of 2015 
Proposed date of entry into force: The date of the entry into force of the Minamata 
Convention on Mercury   
10. Final date for comments: 31 August 2015 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal 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  
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