RESTRICTED  
  
GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
5 août 2016 
(16-4195) Page: 1/9 
Comité des marchés publics  Original:  anglais  
 
  MODIFICATIONS PROJET ÉES DE L'APPENDICE I  CONCERNANT LE JAPON  
AU TITRE DE L'ACCORD  SUR LES MARCHÉS PUBL ICS RÉVISÉ  
COMMUNICATION PRÉSEN TÉE PAR LE JAPON  
Réponses du Japon aux questions complémentaires posées par les États -Unis d'Amérique  
(GPA/MOD/JPN/87)  au sujet des modifications projetées distribuées  
sous la cote  GPA/MOD/JPN/8 2 
La communication  ci-après, datée du 4 août 2016, est distribuée à la demande de la délégation d u 
Japon . 
 
_______________  
RÉPONSE DU JAPON AUX  QUESTIONS COMPLÉMENT AIRES POSÉES PAR LES  ÉTATS -UNIS  
(GPA/MOD/JPN/87) AU SUJET DES MODIFICATI ONS PROJETÉES,  
DISTRIBUÉES SOUS LA COTE GPA/MOD/JPN/82  
Veuillez trouver ci -après la réponse du Japon aux questions complémentaires posées par les 
États-Unis d'Amérique (GPA/MOD/JPN/87 ) au sujet de la mo dification projetée de l'A ppendice I 
concernant le Japon au titre de l'AMP révisé (GPA/MOD/JPN/82) et la réponse du Japon aux 
questions posées par les  États-Unis d'Amérique (GPA/MOD/JPN/8 5) s'agissant de la  Kyushu 
Railway Company.  
1. En réponse à la quest ion n°  1, le Japon a fourni une pièce jointe contenant la version 
anglaise de la modification de la Loi concernant les sociétés de transport ferroviaire 
de voyageurs et la Japan Freight Railway Company, indiquant en particulier de quelle 
façon ces modifications v ont affecter la Kyushu Railway Company . Le Japon a indiqué 
que le texte législatif avait été promulgué le 1 0 juin 2015 et était entré en vigueur le 
1er avril 2016. Toutefois, dans la pièce jointe, le texte modificateur est dénommé 
"[Law No. 26 of 28  Decemb er 2016]" ([Loi n°  26 du 2 8 décembre  2016]) ." 
a. Le Japon pourrait -il indiquer, sous la forme d'un calendrier, quand la 
modification a été apportée à la législation et quand la privatisation de la 
Kyushu Railway Company sera achevée ? 
Comme cela est indiqué da ns la modification projetée de l'Appendice I concernant le Japon au titre 
de l'AMP révisé (GPA/MOD/JPN/82), la Loi portant amendement de la Loi concernant les sociétés 
de transport ferroviaire de voyageurs et la Japan Freight Railway Company a été promulgu ée le 
10 juin 2015 et est entrée en vigueur le 1er avril 2016. La privatisation de la  Kyushu Railway 
Company sera achevée lorsque le s parts de la  Kyushu Railway Company auront été cotées en 
Bourse et que les parts détenues par la  Japan Railway Construction , Transport and Technology 
Agency (Agence japonaise de construction, transport et technologie ferroviaires – JRTT) auront été 
vendues en tant que lot au cours du présent exercice budgétaire . 
La date figurant dans la pièce jointe  ([Law No.  26 of 28  December  2016]  [Loi n°  26 du 
28 décembre  2016]) était une erreur  typographi que, et doit être remplacée pa r ([Law No.  36 of 
10 June 2015]  [Loi n°  36 du 1 0 juin 2015]). Veuillez consulter la pièce jointe révisée . GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  b. Que représente la date du 2 8 décembre  2016 dans ce pr ocessus ? 
Comme il est indiqué dans la réponse à la question  1.a. ci-dessus, la date était une erreur 
typographique . 
2. S'agissant de la pièce jointe, en particulier de l'article 4 de la section intitulée 
"Supplementary Provisions" (dispositions complémentaire s), il apparaît que le 
Ministère de l'aménagement du territoire, des infrastructures, des transports et du 
tourisme aurait le pouvoir d'ordonner à la Kyushu Railway Company (ou aux autres 
nouvelles sociétés) de prendre certaines mesures concernant les ques tions liées à la 
fixation appropriée des tarifs voyageurs et à l'utilisation harmonieuse des 
installations ferroviaires par les différentes sociétés, les questions liées au maintien 
approprié des lignes ferroviaires actuellement exploitées, les questions l iées à la 
garantie de la commodité pour les clients lors de la création de gares et d'autres 
installations ferroviaires et les questions liées à l'attention devant être accordée aux 
petites et moyennes entreprises exerçant des activités similaires à celles  que les 
nouvelles sociétés mènent dans leur zone d'activité . Le Ministère ne peut ordonner 
des mesures que si la Kyushu Railway Company (ou d'autres nouvelles sociétés) ne 
suivent pas les recommandations . 
a. Existe -t-il d'autres domaines dans lesquels le Min istère, en vertu de ce texte 
législatif ou de tout autre texte, serait habilité à donner des ordres à la Kyushu 
Railway Company ou aux autres nouvelles sociétés ? 
Le Ministère de l'aménagement du territoire, des infrastructures, des transports et du tourism e 
(MLIT) pourrait donner des directives  à la Kyushu Railway Company sur la base des lignes 
directrices  mentionnées dans les dispositions complémentaires de la Loi  modificatrice . Sinon, le  
MLIT a le pouvoir d'ordonner , en vue d' améliorer les activités comme rciales, de prendre des 
mesures visant, par exemple, à assurer la sécurité du transport des voyageurs  conformément à l a 
Loi sur les activités ferroviaires, qui s'applique également aux autres sociétés ferroviaires . 
Les lignes directrices susmentionnées son t similaires à celles  qui s'appliquent aux trois  sociétés  
JR Honshu qui ont déjà été retirées de l'Appendice 1 concernant le Japon . La teneur de ces lignes 
directrices n'est pas sensiblement différente et ces dernières ne prévoient pas de contrôle spécial 
ou d'influence spéciale  exercés par le  gouvernement sur la  Kyushu Railway Company.  
b. Existe -t-il des circonstances, qui pourraient être liées à cette loi et à ces 
questions spécifiques, dans lesquelles le Ministère serait en mesure d'ordonner 
qu'une certaine  décision soit prise en matière de passation de marchés publics ? 
Le MLIT n'a pas le pouvoir de faire des demandes à la Kyushu Railway Company en matière de  
passation de marchés publics . GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  ATTACHMENT1 
 
(Tentative Translation)  
 
 
1  THE AMENDMENT TO THE LAW CONCE RNING PASSENGER RAILWAY COMPANIES AND 
JAPAN FREIGHT RAILWAY COMPANY (EXCERPT)  
[Law No. 36 of 10 June 2015  26 of 28 December 2016 ] 
The Law concerning Passenger Railway Companies and Japan Freight Railway Company shall 
be partially amended as follows:  
 
- Delete "Kyushu Railway Company  " from paragraph 1 of Article 1 and Article 2.  
Supplementary Provisions  
 
 
(Date of Enforcement)  
 
Article 1  
 
This Law shall come into force on the date to be determined by a Cabinet Order not later 
than one year from the date of its promulgation, provided that the provision of Article 6, 7 and 12 
of the Supplementary Provisions shall come into effect on the date of the promulgation.  
 
(Publication of the Guidelines)  
 
Article 2  
 
1. Taking into account the process of the reforms of t he Japanese National Railways, which was 
implemented in accordance with the purpose set forth in Article 1 of the Japanese National Railway 
Reform Law (Law No. 87 of 1986), the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism 
shall determine and pub lish the guidelines regarding matters that the New Companies should 
consider for the time being in the conduct of their business (hereinafter referred to as the 
"Guidelines"), for the purpose of securing the convenience of the customers of the railway 
business operated by the entities listed below (hereinafter referred to as the "New Companies"), 
and maintaining appropriate conditions for their use, and securing the foundation for the sound 
development of the economy and communities of the region in which t he New Companies conduct 
their business.  
(1) Kyushu Railway Company established under the Law Concerning Passenger Railway 
Companies and Japan Freight Railway Company before the amendment by this Law 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Former Law") (hereinaft er referred to as the "Kyushu 
Railway Company") ; and 
 
(2) entities which operate from or will operate after the enforcement date of th is Law 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Enforcement Date"), as a result of sale, merger, 
division or inheritance, the whol e or part of the railway business that was operated by 
Kyushu Railway Company on the preceding day of the Enforcement Date, and which 
are or will be designated by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and 
Tourism in consideration of such factors as the contents, scale, shareholders and other 
circumstances of their railway business.  
 
2. The Guidelines shall provide  for the following matters:  
(1) matters related to the appropriate setting of passenger fares and rates and the 
smooth use of railway fa cilities between the Companies (meaning hereinafter in this 
subparagraph , between the entities listed in the subparagraphs  of the preceding 
paragraph or between the entities listed in the subparagraphs  of the preceding 
                                                
1 En an glais seulement.  GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  paragraph and the C ompan ies under par agraph  3 of Article 1 of the Law Concerning 
the Passenger Railway Companies and Japan Freight Railway Company after the 
amendment by this Law or the New Companies under paragraph  1 of Article 2 of 
Supplementary Provision s of the Amendment to the Law Concer ning the Passenger 
Railway Companies and Japan Freight Railway Company (Law No. 61 of 2001), and 
other matters related to securing of coordination and cooperation in the railway 
business between the Companies;  
 
(2) matters related to the appropriate mainte nance of the currently operated railway 
routes in light of the trend of demand for transportation and other changes in 
circumstances following the implementation of the reform of the Japanese National 
Railways, and matters related to securing the convenien ce of customers in the 
development of stations and other railway facilities ; and 
 
(3) matters related to consideration to be given to small and medium -sized enterprises 
engaged in business similar to that New Companies conduct in their business areas, 
by avoiding unfair interference with activities or unfair infringement of interests of 
such small and medium -sized enterprises.  
 
(Guidance and advice)  
 
Article 3  
 
If it is deemed to be necessary to ensure that New Companies follow the Guidelines in the 
conduct  of their business, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may give to 
New Companies necessary guidance and advice on the conduct of their business.  
 
(Recommendation and order)  
 
Article 4  
 
1. If it is deemed that, in light of the Guide lines, New Companies fail to conduct their business 
with no justifiable reasons in such a manner as to secure the convenience of the customers of the 
railway business operated by the New Companies and maintain appropriate conditions for their use 
and secur e foundation for the sound development of the economy and communities of the region 
where New Companies conduct their business, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and 
Tourism may issue to New Companies a recommendation that they take necessary  measures 
regarding the conduct of their business.  
2. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may publish the fact if the New 
Companies that received the recommendation under the preceding paragraph fail to follow the 
recommendation.  
3. In the case that the New Companies which received the recommendation under paragraph  1 
of this Article have failed to take measures in accordance with the recommendation with no 
justifiable reasons, even after the fact that they did not follow the recomme ndation was published 
under the provision of the preceding paragraph, and if it is deemed that the assurance of the 
convenience of the customers of the railway business operated by the said New Companies, the 
maintenance of appropriate conditions for their  use, or the assurance for the sound development 
of the economy and communities of the region where the said New Companies conduct their 
business has been severely jeopardized, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and 
Tourism may issue an order to the said New Companies that they take measures to follow the 
recommendation.  
4. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism shall consult with the Transport 
Council when issuing an order under the provision of the preceding paragraph.  GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  (Penal provision)  
 
Article 5  
 
If an order issued under paragraph 3 of the preceding Article has been disobeyed, the 
directors of the New Companies which have disobeyed the order shall be liable to an 
administrative fine not exceeding one million yen.  
 
(Transitional measures ) 
 
Article 7  
 
Kyushu Railway Company will draw all the amount of the fund defined under paragraph 1 of 
Article 12 of the Former Law in order to appropriate  it to the cost required for its business 
operations on the preceding day ( Note: 31 May 2016) of the Enforcement Date.  
 
2  THE LAW CONCERNING PASSENGER RAILWAY COMPANIES AND JAPAN FREIGHT 
RAILWAY COMPANY (EXCERPT)  
[Law No. 88 of 4 December 1986]  
 
[Amendment : Amended by Law Nos. 50 and 65 of 1990, No. 63 of 1993 and No. 61 of 2001]  
 
(Purposes  and businesses of the Companies)  
 
Article 1  
 
1. Hokkaido Railway Company, Shikoku Railway Company and Kyushu Railway  Company 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Passenger Companies") shall be stock companies whose purpose 
shall be to engage in the passenger rai lway business and other businesses incidental thereto.  
2. Japan Freight Railway Company (hereinafter referred to as the "Freight Company") shall be 
a stock company whose purpose shall be to engage in the freight railway business and other 
businesses incidenta l thereto.  
3. The Passenger Companies and the Freight Company (hereinafter referred to as "Company" 
or "Companies") shall respectively engage in the businesses referred to in paragraph 1 or the 
preceding paragraph and may additionally engage in the motor vehi cle transportation business or 
other businesses subject to the approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport . In 
this case the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport shall give the approval unless the 
appropriate and sound manageme nt of the businesses referred to in paragraph 1 or the preceding 
paragraph is considered to be jeopardized thereby.  
(Restriction on use of trade names)  
 
Article 2  
 
No person other than the Companies is allowed to use the words of Hokkaido Railway 
Company, Shikoku Railway Company and Kyushu Railway Company or Japan Freight Railway 
Company in his/her trade name.  
 
Article 3  Deleted (Law No. 63 of June 1995)  
 
(General mortgage)  
 
Article 4  
 
1. The bondholders of each Company are entitled to receive compensation for  their credit, in 
preference to other creditors, out of the property of the Company concerned.  
2. The order of the lien under the preceding paragraph shall be immediately following the 
general line under the provisions of the Civil Code (Law No. 89 of 1896).  GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  (New stocks, corporate bonds and borrowings)  
 
Article 5  
 
1. Each Company shall obtain the approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and 
Transport when it intends to issue new stocks, raise corporate bonds, or borrow funds with a 
repayment period of mor e than one year.  
2. The provision of the preceding paragraph is not applicable to the case where a Company 
issues replacement bonds in accordance with the applicable Cabinet Order and bears new 
liabilities.  
(Resolution on appointment of the representative dir ector, etc.)  
 
Article 6  
 
A resolution of appointment or dismissal of the representative director and corporate 
auditors of each Company shall not become effective without approval of the Minister of Land, 
Infrastructure and Transport.  
 
(Annual business pla n) 
 
Article 7  
 
Each Company shall, before the start of each business year, establish its annual business 
plan in accordance with the applicable ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport 
and Tourism and obtain the approval of it from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport . 
The approval shall be also required when a Company intends to modify the same.  
 
(Transfer of important assets)  
 
Article 8  
 
Each Company shall obtain the approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and 
Transport if it intends to transfer important assets set forth in the applicable ordinance of the 
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or to submit them as collateral.  
 
(Changes to the articles of incorporation)  
 
Article 9  
 
Resolutions on changes to the articles of incorporation, appropriation of the retained 
earnings or disposition of losses, mergers, corporate split -ups or liquidations of each Company 
shall not become effective without approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.  
 
(Consideration for small and medium -sized enterprises)  
 
Article 10  
 
Each Company shall, in consideration of the impact of its business operation on the 
economic activities in the region where it operates, take at most care not to unreasonably h amper 
the business operations of small and medium -sized enterprises engaged in the same field of 
business in the region or to unreasonably impair their business profit.  
 
(Financial statements)  
 
Article 11  
 
Each Company shall submit its balance sheets, inco me statements and business report for 
each business year to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport within three months after 
the end of each business year.  
 GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  (Management Stabilization Fund for Railway Companies)  
 
Article 12  
 
1. Railway Companies sh all manage their fund equal to the amount of credit that they acquired 
respectively in accordance with the provision in paragraph 1 of Article 7 in the Supplementary 
Provisions as the Management Stabilization Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "Fund") an d 
appropriate the profit from investing their Fund to the cost required for their business operations.  
2. Railway Companies shall keep a separate account for their Fund from other accounts in 
accordance with the applicable ordinance of the Ministry of Land, I nfrastructure, Transport and 
Tourism.  
3. The Fund shall not be reduced . However, the Fund may be reduced where the value of the 
net assets of a company concerned has diminished to less than the sum of its capital stock, 
reserves and Fund, and the approval of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has 
been obtained in advance.  
4. If the Fund of the company concerned has been reduced in accordance with the proviso of 
the preceding paragraph, and thereafter the value of the net assets of the company has exceeded 
the sum of its capital stock, reserves and the Fund, the amount equal to the portion exceeding 
that sum shall be added to the Fund until the amount of the Fund reaches the amount referred to 
in paragraph 1.  
5. Railway Companies shall invest their Fun d in a safe and profitable manner.  
6. Except the matters stipulated in each of the preceding paragraphs, the matters necessary 
for the management of the Fund shall be provided by ordinances of the Ministry of Land, 
Infrastructure, Transport  and Tourism.  
(Supe rvision)  
 
Article 13  
 
1. Each Company shall be subject to supervision of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport 
and Tourism in accordance with the provisions of this Law.  
2. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may, when it is considered e specially 
necessary for the enforcement of this Law, give a supervisory order to any Company concerning its 
business operations.  
(Reporting and inspection)  
 
Article 14  
 
1. The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may, if it is considered 
especially necessary for the enforcement of this Law, request any Company to submit a report on 
its business, or have government officials enter the business establishment of any Company such 
as branches, offices and others, and inspect the books, documents,  and other articles.  
2. The officials who perform the inspection by entering the premises of the Company concerned 
in accordance with the provision of the preceding paragraph shall carry their identity cards and 
present the same to the persons concerned.  
3. The right of inspection by entering the premises of any Company under the provision of 
paragraph 1 shall not be construed as admission for the purpose of criminal investigation.  GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  (Consultation with the Minister of Finance)  
 
Article 15  
 
The Minister of Land, In frastructure, Transport and Tourism shall consult with the Minister of 
Finance, when giving an approval under paragraph 1 of Article 5 (except the matters related to 
issuance of new stocks), Article 7, 8 or 9 (except resolutions on changes to the articles of 
incorporation), or giving an approval under the proviso in paragraph 3 of Article 12.  
 
(Penal provisions)  
 
Article 16  
 
1. Any director, statutory auditor or employee of each Company who has received, demanded 
or promised a bribe in connection with his/her office capacity shall be liable to penal servitude of 
not exceeding three years . If he/she has taken unfair action or has not taken reasonable action as 
a result, he/she shall be liable to penal servitude of not exceeding five years.  
2. In the case of the pre ceding paragraph, any bribe received by the criminal shall be 
confiscated . If the whole or part of it cannot be confiscated, the amount of money corresponding 
to the value of such portion shall be confiscated.  
Article 17  
 
1. Any person who has given, offered or promised to give a bribe referred to in paragraph 1 of 
the preceding Article shall be liable to penal servitude of not exceeding three years or a fine not 
exceeding one million yen.  
2. If a person who has committed the crime referred to in the preceding pa ragraph surrenders 
himself/herself to the authorities, his/her penalty may be reduced or exempted.  
Article 18  
 
The crimes under paragraph 1 of Article 16 shall follow the cases falling under Article 4 of 
the Criminal Law (Law No. 45 of 1907).  
 
Article 19  
 
Any director, statutory auditor or employee of each Company that refuses to submit a report 
under the provision in paragraph 1 of Article 14, or that has submitted a false report, or refused, 
hampered or avoided the inspection under the provision in the sa me paragraph shall be liable to a 
fine not exceeding ¥200,000.  
 
Article 20  
 
If a Company committed a violation falling under one of the following items, directors or 
statutory auditors of the Company shall be liable to an administrative fine not exceeding 
¥1,000,000:  
 
(1) if a Company has conducted business in violation of the provision in paragraph 3 of 
Article 1;  
 
(2) if a Company has issued new shares, raised corporate bonds or borrowed funds in 
violation of the provision in paragraph 1 of Article 5;  
 
(3) if a Company has not obtained the approval for its business plan in violation of the 
provision in Article 7;  
 
(4) if a Company has transferred its properties or submitted them as collateral in violation 
of the provision in Article 8;  
 GPA/MOD/JPN/90  
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  (5) if a Company ha s not submitted its balance sheets, income statements or business 
report, or submitted the same with false descriptions in violation of the provision in 
Article 11;  
 
(6) if a Company has reduced the Fund in violation of the provision in paragraph 3 of 
Article 12;  
 
(7) if a Company has not followed an order given under the provision in paragraph 2 of 
Article 13.  
 
Article 21  
 
Any person who violated the provision in Article 2 shall be liable to an administrative fine not 
exceeding ¥50,000.  
 
__________