## Section 4 Initiatives towards international standardization

## (1) Globalization of vehicle standards and certification systems

In order to quickly and cheaply disseminate safe and environmentally friendly vehicles, Japan actively participates in the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE/WP29) to promote international harmonization of safety and environmental standards, and to globally disseminate new Japanese technology through such activities. To promote these activities, in accordance with the “Action Plan for the Internationalization of the Regulation and Certification System for Vehicles” drawn up in June 2011 through high-level meetings over the Internationalization of the Regulation and Certification System, which consists of representatives from both the government and people, Japan works to $ \textcircled{1} $ conform Japanese specifications and technology to worldwide standards, $ \textcircled{2} $ collaborate between Asian nations, $ \textcircled{3} $ realize mutual certification worldwide, $ \textcircled{4} $ develop systems accommodating the globalization of standard certification, and is promoting the globalization regulation and certification system for vehicles.

## (2) Initiatives for international standardization in railways

As Europe actively promotes the international standardization of European specifications, accommodating international standardization is a vital task for globally expanding Japanese railway systems. Global standardization must be accommodated to avoid serious effects to the railway industry such as the possibility of existing domestic specifications being eliminated because of withdrawal of superior Japanese technology from global standards. Therefore at the Railway Technology Standardization Committee, experts with relevant knowledge and experience on railway technology and related industries collaborate and actively undertake discussions over strategies for international railway standards and domestic standard policies concerning international standards.

In 2012, a Japanese individual was inaugurated as chairman of the technical committee for railway applications (TC269) of the International Organization, for Standardization which was established in April, and achieved to induce having the 2nd Plenary Meeting in Japan.

In September of the same year, for the further global expansion of Japanese railway systems, the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory received certification from the International Accreditation Japan (IA Japan) of the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) as the first certification institution in Japan in railway field.

## (3) Initiatives for the international standardization related to ships and crewmen

International maritime transport businesses are operated by ships and crewmen of various nationalities and must undertake operation under fair and equal competitive conditions in accordance to internationally unified rules. In the past, Japan has actively participated in the formulation of international standards concerning ships and crewmen -such as the SOLAS Treaty, MARPOL Treaty, STCW Treaty, etc.- and has contributed to their establishment. In 2012, the guideline regarding the International Ship Recycling Convention for the safe and environmentally sound dismantling of ships was formulated under the leadership of Japan.

## (4) International harmonization of certification systems, and civil engineering and building standards

In recent years, Japan is undertaking initiatives to promote the international harmonization of certification systems as well as civil engineering and building standards. Such initiatives include implementing systems for the certification of function authorization and evaluation institutions for construction materials from foreign countries used in the fields of civil engineering, building and housing (where globalization of the market is expanding), implementing policies such as providing technical support by JICA, and participating in the formulation of engineering and technical standards by the ISO. In addition, Japan is coming up with measures for accumulated Japanese technologies that reflect international standards and proceeding with deliberations over developing and amending domestic technical standards in consideration of development trends in international standards.