G/TBT/N/JPN/491  
 
1 July 2015  
(15-3374)  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): Products designated as 
"specified mercury-added prod ucts" with corresponding mercury content limits are listed 
below:  
1. Batteries (excluding the followings) 
a) Button zinc silver oxide batteries (button cells with a mercury content less than 
1% by weight) 
b) Button zinc air batteries (button cells with a mercury content less than 2% by 
weight) 
2. Switches and relays 
3. Signal-ended compact fluorescent lamps an d self-ballasted fluorescent lamps for 
general lighting purposes that are less than or equal to 30 watts of rated power consumption with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner 
4. The followings, among linear fluorescent la mps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: 
a) Products that are less than 60 watts of rated power consumption with a mercury 
content exceeding 5 mg per lamp, using triband phosphor 
b) Products that are equal to or less than 40 watts of rated power consumption with 
a mercury content exceeding 10 mg per lamp, using halophosphate phosphor 
5. High pressure mercury vapour lamps (HPMV) for general lighting purposes 
6. The following cold cathode fluorescent la mps and external electrode fluorescent 
lamps (CCFL and EEFL) for electronic displays: 
a) Products whose length is equal to or shorter than 500 mm with a mercury 
content exceeding 3.5 mg per lamp 
b) Products whose length is longer than 500 mm and equal to or shorter than 
1500 mm with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp 
c) Products whose length is longer than 1500 mm with a mercury content 
exceeding 13 mg per lamp 
7. Cosmetics 
8. Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics G/TBT/N/JPN/491 
 
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  9. The following non-electronic measuring devices except non-electronic measuring 
devices used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury-free alternative is available: 
a) barometers 
b) hygrometers 
c) manometers 
d) thermometers 
e) sphygmomanometers 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Enforcement Order 
of Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury (2 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content: Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury bans the 
manufacture of "specified merc ury-added products" and also requires the government to 
take measures such as permitting the manufacture of mercury-added products for the uses allowed under the Minamata Convention on Mercury as well as restricting the use of 
"specified mercury-added products" as components of other products.  
The Enforcement Order of the Act designates product items of the mercury-added products 
listed in Annex A of the Convention as "specified mercury-added products", and sets 
corresponding mercury content limits lower than those in the Convention as well as 
phase-out dates earlier than those in the Convention. 
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) 
 Enforcement order is to be publicised in  the Official Government Gazette "KAMPO" 
when adopted 
 Minamata Convention on Mercury (Articles 4-1 and 4-5) 
http://www.mercuryconvention.org/Portal s/11/documents/Booklets/Minamata%20
Convention%20on%20Mercury_booklet_English.pdf  
9. Proposed date of adoption: Around September of 2015 
Proposed date of entry into force: January 2018 or December 2020, depending on 
products 
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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