          
          
              JAPANESE TESTING, STANDARDS, AND CERTIFICATION
          
          One of the most important areas of concern for your company 
          is meeting the requirements of Japanese testing, standards, 
          and certification procedures which cover a wide range of 
          product sectors. Unfortunately, obtaining information in 
          these areas from outside of Japan is difficult.  Japanese 
          approval procedures are often slow and cumbersome and can 
          be discouraging to those unwilling to make a major 
          commitment of their time and energy.  However, significant 
          progress has been made in specific product areas in the 
          last few years, and steps to simplify the system continue.  
          Problems with Japanese standards and certification systems 
          generally have fallen into one of three categories:
          
          Lack of Transparency:  Some of the committees that draft 
          Japanese standards have shown reluctance to allow foreign 
          participation.  As a result, foreign firms whose products 
          could be affected by new standards have had no meaningful 
          input into the development of those standards.  
          Furthermore, in many cases foreign firms do not learn the 
          details of the new standards until after Japanese firms 
          represented on the committees have, and thus the foreign 
          firms lose critical lead time retooling to comply with the 
          new standards.  This situation is beginning to improve as 
          more drafting standards committees are opened to 
          participation by qualified foreigners.
          
          Lack of Acceptance of Foreign Test Data:  In the past, 
          Japanese authorities refused to accept the results of tests 
          conducted by manufacturers or independent U.S. test 
          laboratories.  Companies seeking certification had no 
          choice but to submit to testing and inspection by Japanese 
          authorities, exposing certain proprietary information.  The 
          Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) now 
          accepts test results from U.S. testing laboratories for 
          certification of electrical appliances.  A handful of U.S.  
          labs have received Japanese Government approval to inspect 
          factories and give type approval to U.S. products.  MITI 
          has designated the following U.S.  testing laboratories to 
          certify products as meeting Japanese safety and quality 
          requirements:
          
            DSET Laboratories, Inc.          Applied Research Laboratories
              Box 1850                           of Florida, Inc.
              Black Canyon Stage 1             5371 N.W. 161st Street
              Phoenix, AZ 85029                Miami, FL 33014
              Phone:  (602) 465-7356           Phone:  (305) 624-4800
          
            ETL Testing Laboratories, Inc.   Hazelton Laboratories, Corp.
              Route 11                         9200-T Leesburg Pike
              Industrial Park                  Vienna, VA 22180
              P.O. Box 2040                    Phone:  (703) 893-5400
              Cortland, NY 13045
              Phone:  (607) 753-6711
          
            Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
              1285 Walt Whitman Road
              Melville, NY 11747
              Phone:  (516) 271-6200 ext. 877 or 614
          
          Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the only U.S. testing 
          facility that has received MITI designation to conduct 
          product testing for type approval and to approve products 
          under the voluntary Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) 
          system, allowing the product to be marked with a JIS 
          symbol.
          
          Progress also has been made in the acceptance of 
          foreign-generated test data for health care products.  
          Japan now accepts the results of all pre-clinical tests 
          conducted outside of Japan, if those tests are conducted 
          according to Japanese test protocols.  However, the 
          Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) is still reluctant to 
          approve products based on clinical tests performed outside 
          of Japan, even if these tests are conducted on Japanese 
          people.  Test data developed in Japan is required for 
          medical implantable or invasive products or devices and 
          pharmaceuticals.
          
          Lack of Harmonization with International Standards:  
          Japanese standards often differ from international 
          standards or from standards prevalent elsewhere.  While 
          some changes have been implemented, Japanese standards 
          continue to deviate from international standards in many 
          instances. The U.S.  Government continues to raise 
          discriminatory standards cases with the Japanese 
          authorities.
          
          Japan also has a system of voluntary government and 
          industry marks with specific standards requirements.  Japan 
          Industrial Standards (JIS), Japan Agricultural Standards 
          (JAS), and other quality marks are important for winning 
          consumer acceptance for a product and are highly 
          recommended, but can create difficulties for foreign 
          suppliers in those cases where they deviate from 
          international standards.
          
          A JIS mark on your product is a quality certification mark 
          in Japan.  It means that products with JIS marks satisfy 
          the quality level set by corresponding Japanese Industrial 
          Standards.  Although a JIS mark is not mandatory, it is 
          recognized by Japanese consumers as signifying good product 
          quality. JIS mark approval is conducted by the Japanese 
          Government on a factory-by-factory basis.  Thus, the 
          quality is indirectly guaranteed by the Japanese 
          Government.
          
          Complying with Japanese standards and obtaining import 
          certification can be arduous at times.  Your company should 
          work closely with your agent/representative/importer in 
          Japan in order to facilitate this process.  Much 
          information on Japanese standards is only available through 
          the appropriate Japanese governmental ministry and/or only 
          exists in written form in the Japanese language. Therefore, 
          it is often up to your representative in Japan to supply 
          your firm with this type of information.  Your 
          agent/representative/distributor should carefully study the 
          products to be imported and all regulations concerned.  All 
          relevant information should be passed onto your company 
          since goods not conforming to regulations will not be 
          certified to enter Japan. Furthermore, there are cases 
          where a product is controlled by more than one law, or 
          different laws apply to products of the same group, since 
          each law has its legislative objective.  Technical 
          regulations are concerned not only with technical 
          specifications of a product itself but also with packaging, 
          marking or labeling requirements, testing, transportation 
          and storage, installation, etc. Your company needs to 
          identify certification requirements for your product if 
          appropriate.
          
          Some Japanese standards and certification information is 
          available in the United States and is in English.  To 
          determine whether or not Japanese standards on your product 
          exist in the United States, please contact the following 
          organization:
          
              U.S. Department of Commerce National Center for 
              Standards and Certification Information
              National Institute of Standards and Technology
              Administrative Building, Room A629 Gaithersburg, MD 
              20899 Phone:  (301) 975-4040
          
          The National Center for Standards and Certification 
          Information (NCSCI) provides information on U.S., foreign, 
          and international voluntary standards; government 
          regulations; and rules of certification for nonagricultural 
          products.  The NCSCI serves as a referral service and focal 
          point in the United States for information about standards 
          and standards-related information.  It responds to requests 
          for information by identifying relevant standards and/or 
          regulations.  Searches are made with the aid of various 
          indexes, by contacting professional and 
          standards-developing organizations, and through 
          communicating directly with foreign standards bodies.  The 
          requester is referred to the appropriate 
          standards-developing organization for additional 
          (technical) information and/or copies of the document in 
          question.  NCSCI does not provide copies of standards.
          
          The following is one private sector organization in the 
          United States that has English translations of many 
          Japanese standards for purchase:
          
              The American National Standards Institute
              11 West 42nd Street, 13th Floor
              New York, NY 10036
              Phone:  (212) 642-4900
          
          Your product must be adapted to metric standards.  The 
          Office of Metric Programs of the U.S. Department of 
          Commerce provides exporters with guidance and assistance on 
          foreign metric import regulations and on matters relating 
          to U.S. transition to the metric system.  It can also give 
          referrals to state metric contacts.  For information, call 
          (202) 377-3754.
          
          Another source of information on various Japanese standards 
          and regulations is the publication Standards and 
          Certification Systems in Japan -- Measures for Improving 
          Market Access, which is produced by the Japanese 
          Intra-Governmental Council on Standards and Certification 
          Systems (Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance).  This 
          publication is available in the United States from:
          
              OCS America, Inc.
              5 East 44th Street
              New York, NY 10017
              Phone:  (212) 599-4502
          
          The Japan Standards Association (JSA) has established 
          Kikaku Net, an on-line database which was put into 
          operation in October 1989.  The system includes two 
          comprehensive files, one for domestic and one for 
          international/overseas standards which have cross reference 
          fields for each other.  Many of the fields are supported 
          both in Japanese and English so retrieval is possible in 
          both languages. This system is a convenient tool for your 
          business in identifying existing Japanese standards and the 
          over 200 Japanese manufacturer's associations responsible 
          for drafting specific industry standards. Inquiries on 
          Kikaku Net should be directed to:
          
              Overseas Standards Center
              Japan Standards Association
              4-1-24 Akasaka
              Minato-ku, Tokyo 107 Japan
              Phone:  011-81-3-3583-8001 (ext. 245)
              Fax:    011-81-3-3584-5159
          
          Questions on access to Kikaku Net should be directed to:
          
              Customer Service Manager
              Database Business Department
              Japan Information Processing Service Co., Ltd.
              2-4-24 Toyo, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135 Japan
              Phone:  011-81-3-35690-3202
          
          The Building Center of Japan is a Japanese quasi-government 
          organization which deals with Japanese construction 
          standard issues.  If your firm wishes clarification 
          regarding Japanese construction standards, contact:
          
              The Building Center of Japan
              3-2-2 Toranomon
              Minato-ku, Tokyo 105 Japan
              Phone:  011-81-3-3434-7155 (International Section)
              Fax:    011-81-3-3431-3302
          
          The following two organizations have been designated the 
          General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) national 
          inquiry points in Japan for standards information:
          
              Standards Information Service
              First International Organizations Division
              Economic Affairs Bureau
              Ministry of Foreign Affairs
              2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 Japan
          
          The Standards Information Service at the Ministry of 
          Foreign Affairs mainly handles inquiries in the fields of 
          drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, foodstuffs, food 
          additives, telecommunications facilities, motor vehicles, 
          ships, aircraft, and railway equipment.  It does not answer 
          inquiries concerning Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) 
          which are handled by the Japan External Trade Organization 
          (JETRO).
          
              Standards Information Service
              Information Service Department
              Japan External Trade Organization
              2-2-5 Toranomon, Minato-ku 107
              Tokyo, Japan
          
          The Standards Information Service at the Japan External 
          Trade Organization mainly handles inquiries in the fields 
          of electric equipment, gas appliances, measurement scales, 
          foodstuffs, food additives, etc.  Those inquiries 
          concerning JIS on medical devices, motor vehicles, ships, 
          aircraft, and railway equipment are also handled by JETRO.
          
          
          
