NATIONAL PROFILE on Chemicals Management - UNITAR

9 2 Overview of the future prospects of theelectronic information system in governmentagenciesThe Japanese Government has been actively promoting the informatisation ofadministration and advancing the necessary upgrading so that, in principle, administrativeprocedures based on laws can be done through online by March 2004. Furthermore, prior tothese measures the following measures have been taken.● The Law concerning the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of TheirManufacture, etc.Submission by CD-R was introduced for the submission of documents attached tonotification of new chemical substances in June 2002 and an online (dial-up network only)submission offering system regarding low-volume new chemical substances wasintroduced in June 2001.● Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control LawRegarding the registration system for the production and import of poisonous anddeleterious substances, business establishments handling the poisonous and deleterioussubstances registration system have been operating since 1997 to allow applications usingelectronic media such as diskets.● Law Concerning Reporting, etc. of Releases to the Environment of Specific ChemicalSubstances and Promoting Improvements in Their ManagementOnline notification from businesses regarding amounts of emission and transfer ofDesignated Chemicals has been made possible through a dial-up line or the Internet.9 3 Overview of technical training and educationprogrammes● Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)In accordance with the legislation of the PRTR system, the Ministry of Economy, Tradeand Industry (METI) undertakes education for officials in charge of enforcement of thelaws of national or local public organisations on the content of this law, internationaltrends surrounding chemical substances, scientific methodology such as the assessment ofthe hazard/risk of chemical substances as well as the necessary knowledge for themanagement of chemical substances such as risk communication methods.● Ministry of the Environment (MOE)The National Environmental Training Institute (NETI) provides the Chemical SubstancesAdministration Programme targeting employees at local public organisations to acquire abasic knowledge on chemical substances such as relations between chemical substances andenvironmental risk, risk management, risk assessment, laws and regulations regardingchemical substances and risk communication.61