G/TBT/N/JPN/447  
 
2 December 2013  
(13-6568)  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; Ministry of Health, 
Labour and Welfare; Ministry of the Environment 
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 applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   
The following chemical substances: 1. Technical endosulfan and its related isomers  
2. Hexabromocyclododecane 
The following products in which Hexabromocyclododecane is used: 1. Chemicals for flame-retardant treatment for fabric, textile 
2. Expandable polystyrene for flame-retardant EPS* 
3. Flame-retardant fabric, textile 4. Flame-retardant curtains 
*Note: EPS refers to expanded polystyrene. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Revision of the 
Cabinet Order under the Chemical Substances Control Law (1 page, in English).     
6. Description of content:  Based on Article 17 and 22 of Act on the Evaluation of 
Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. (hereinafter referred to 
as “the "Act"), the following will be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances 
which need authorization to manufacture or import. 
1. Technical endosulfan and its related isomers; 
2. Hexabromocyclododecane 
Based on Article 24 of the Act, the following will be designated as products prohibited 
from importation when Hexabromocyclododecane is used in them. 
1. Chemicals for flame-retardant treatment for fabric, textile 
2. Expandable polystyrene for flame-retardant EPS 3. Flame-retardant fabric, textile 4. Flame-retardant curtains G/TBT/N/JPN/447 
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  To prevent environmental pollution by "Technical endosulfan and its related 
isomers" and "Hexabromocyclododecane", wh ich are potentially hazardous substances 
because of their non-biodegradability, high degree of bioaccumulation potential, and 
chronic toxicity, and therefore designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances 
under the Act. This amendment is based on the decisions at the 5th and the 6th 
meetings of the Stockholm Convention in 2011 and 2013, respectively, under which 
these chemical substances came under its scope for elimination and restriction. In addition, to prevent environmental pollution, 4 products, in which 
Hexabromocyclododecane is used, will be prohibited from importation.  
8. Relevant documents:    
- Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their 
Manufacture, etc. (Act No. 117 of October 16, 1973) 
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/chemical_management/english/cscl/files/laws/laws_
cscl.pdf  (in English) 
- The Cabinet Order of the Chemical Su bstances Control Law and amendments 
thereto (1974, Cabinet No. 202) (in Japanese) 
 http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htm ldata/S49/S49SE202.html  
- Documents for the Chemical Substances Council on 4 October 2013 (in Japanese) 
 http://www.meti.go.jp/committee/ materials2/data/g90723cj.html  
- News Release about the conclusion of the Chemical Substances Council on 
4 October  2013 (in Japanese)   
 http://www.meti.go.jp/englis h/press/2013/1008_01.html  
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    March 2014 May 2014 for the 2 chemical substances, 
October 2014 for the 4 products. 
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
Japan Enquiry Point 
International Trade Division Economic Affairs Bureau 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Fax: (+81 3) 5501 8343 E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/JPN/13_4739_00_s.pdf