Search

Japan actively participates in the WTO in both regular work and in negotiations. In recent years it has focused on the Trade Facilitation Agreement and is a party to the plurilateral negotiations on expanding the Information Technology Agreement, trade in services, and Environmental Goods Agreement.

(…) In addition, Japan has pursued the advance of APEC green growth and sustainable development objectives by taking the lead in environmental services and contributing to capacity building for implementation of the 2012 APEC Leaders' commitments on the APEC List of Environmental Goods (54 items), which aim to reduce applied tariff rates to 5% or less by the end of 2015, taking into account each economy's economic circumstances.

In April 2013, Japan and the United States completed bilateral consultations regarding Japan's participation in the negotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and decided to conduct negotiations on non-tariff measures (NTMs) and on motor vehicle trade in parallel to the TPP negotiations. (...) The negotiation on motor vehicle trade includes (...) Green/New Technology Vehicles (...)

In order to strengthen the economic relationship between Japan and Republic of Korea, the 12th Japan-Republic of Korea High-Level Economic Consultation was held on 11 November 2013. Both sides exchanged views to promote bilateral trade and investment, and reaffirmed the importance of cooperation on global issues such as energy security and the environment.

As one of the biggest consumers of fish and seafood in the world, Japan provides a range of support measures to fisheries. The budget support to the sector increased after the extensive damage caused by the 2011 tsunami with the aim of completing the recovery of fishing port facilities by end-FY2015. Although the average applied MFN tariff on fish and fish products was 6.2% in FY2014 (same as in FY2012), import quotas apply to several species of fish.

Table 2.1 Major trade-related laws and regulations, October 2014
Legislation: Law Concerning the Measures by Large Scale Retail Stores for Preservation of Living Environment (1998 Law No. 91)
Most recent amendment: 2000

Table 2.1 Major trade-related laws and regulations, October 2014
Legislation: Act on the Rational Use of Energy (1979 Law No. 49)
Most recent amendment: 2014

Other laws related to standards and technical requirements include (Ministries in charge in parentheses): (...) Act on the Rational Use of Energy of 1979, last amended in 2008, applies to motor vehicles and other products designated by Ministerial Order (MLIT) [19] (...)

[19] Enforcement Ordinance for the Act on the Rational Use of Energy of 1979, and Enforcement Regulations for the Act on the Rational Use of Energy of 1979.

Imports of certain goods are prohibited under Article 69-11 of Japan's Customs Law. For reasons of national security, safeguarding consumer health and well-being, preserving domestic plant and animal life and the environment, imports of narcotics, certain weapons, and animals or plants listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), may be prohibited or subject to import licensing.

At present, products that require import approval or are prohibited include: certain marine products, chemical products, propellant powders, nuclear goods, weapons, animals and plants, substances that deplete the ozone layer, specified hazardous wastes, waste chemical weapons goods, alcohol, rough diamonds, cultural property illegally removed from Iraq, all goods from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, weapons and other items related to nuclear programmes or ballistic missile programmes from Iran, and weapons and other items from the State of Eritrea. Licences to import are issued free of cost.