. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/JPN/202 
29 May 2007 
 (07-2193) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   JAPAN
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
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 [    ], 2.10.1 [ X ], 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):   Electric shredders and 
electric room heaters 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   The partial 
amendments to the “Ordinance Concerning Technical Requirements for Electrical 
Appliances and Materials” and “the other Technical Requirements, recognized by the 
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in accordance with Section 2 of the Ordinance” (1 page, in English). 
6. Description of content:    
1. Household paper shredders (“Electric shre dders” as the name of the relevant law). 
Because of serious accidents involving young children associated with household paper 
shredders, relevant technical requirement  will be amended as to the following: 
 
- Requirements on marking;  
- Operational limitation on safety interlock; 
- Requirement of switch disconnecting the power from the supply mains; 
- Requirement of the test on hazardous moving parts with the accessibility probe. 
 
2. Electric heaters with controls actuated by remote operation (“Electric room heaters” as the name of the relevant law).Several incide nts have been reported associated with electric 
heaters with controls actuated by remote operation which are malfunctioned by the other 
products’ remote operation. Since malfunctioned electric heaters have high probability to 
cause the residential fire, relevant techni cal requirement will be amended as to the 
following: 
- Prohibition of controls actuated by remote  operation(except for heaters with certain 
construction such as those mounting at high level). G/TBT/N/JPN/202 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
After a series of serious accidents involving young children that have occurred associated 
with household paper shredders, relevant techni cal requirement will be amended to prevent 
further accidents. Additionally, the technical  requirement concerning remote-operated 
electric heaters will be also amended to prev ent residential fires caused by the malfunction 
of the products’ remote operation. 
8. Relevant documents:   The basic law is the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law. 
This revision will appear in “KAMPO” (Offi cial Government Gazette) when adopted. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    July 2007 
One month from the date of adoption 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from date of circulation 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
Product safety Division 
Commerce and Distribution Policy Group Commerce and Information Policy Bureau Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 
1-3-1 Kasumigaseki 
Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8901 JAPAN  Tel: (+81) 3 3501 4707 
Fax: (+81) 3 3501 6201 
Email: denan@meti.go.jp