NATIONAL PROFILE on Chemicals Management - UNITAR

4 3.3 Response to the PIC ConventionJapan has regulated the export of hazardous chemical substances under the Foreign Exchange andForeign Trade Control Law and the Export Trade Control Ordinance since 1992, and is takingpart in international efforts based on the London Guidelines for the Exchange of Informationon Chemicals in International Trade. Regarding the Rotterdam Convention on the PriorInformed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in InternationalTrade (PIC Convention), Japan will continue to implement its obligation under the conventionwith regard to banned or severely restricted chemicals in addition to chemicals listed in AnnexIII of the Convention. The Diet approved a conclusion of the Convention in March 2003.Table 4-3Banned or severely restricted chemicalsBANNED OR SEVERELY RESTRICTED CHEMICALSLEVEL OF RESTRICTIONDETAILS OF BANNED OR SEVERELY RESTRICTED CHEMICALSLaw Concerning the Evaluation of ChemicalSubstances and Regulation of TheirManufacture, etc.Class I Specified Chemical SubstancesIndustrial Safety and Health LawProhibited SubstancesPoisonous and Deleterious SubstancesControl LawSpecified toxic SubstancesAgricultural Chemicals Regulation LawAgricultural Chemicals prohibited to sell or useSRSRSRSRLow bio-degradability, high bio-accumulation,may damage human health in cases ofcontinuous ingestionSubstances causing severe health damage toworkersAcute toxicityMay affect both human beings and animalsNote: SR: severely restricted, based on the criteria of the PIC Convention4 3.4 Response to the POPs ConventionJapan submitted the Instrument of Accession for the Stockholm Convention on PersistentOrganic Pollutants (POPs Convention) and acceded the Convention in August 2002. InJanuary 2003, the Inter-Ministerial General Directors’ Meeting on the StockholmConvention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was established. The Meeting has been makingefforts to develop a national implementation plan based on the Convention, to facilitatecommunications and coordination among related ministries and agencies, and to promotethe effective implementation of the Convention.4 3.5 Response to the AFS ConventionRegarding the 2001 International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systemson Ships (AFS Convention), Japan has played a leading role in formulation of the Conventionby refraining from the use of ship bottom paints in addition to the introduction ofregulations on organotin compounds earlier than any other countries. Japan submitted theInstrument of Acceptance for the AFS Convention and accepted the Convention in July 2003.31