JCSM Shareware Collection 1993 November/JCSM Shareware Collection - 1993-11.iso/cl060/japanj.lzh/JAP20

Text File | 1992-10-28 | 14.1 KB | 267 lines

              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:  [phone]           Phone:  [phone]

            ETL Testing Laboratories, Inc.   Hazelton Laboratories, Corp.
              Route 11                         9200-T Leesburg Pike
              Industrial Park                  Vienna, VA 22180
              P.O. Box 2040                    Phone:  [phone]
              Cortland, NY 13045
              Phone:  [phone]

            Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
              1285 Walt Whitman Road
              Melville, NY 11747
              Phone:  [phone] 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:  [phone]

          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:  [phone]

          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
          [phone].

          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:  [phone]

          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:  [phone] (ext. 245)
              Fax:    [phone]

          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:  [phone]

          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:  [phone] (International Section)
              Fax:    [phone]

          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.