(1) PURPOSE OF THE LAW AND SCHEME
The purpose of this law is to promote industrial standardization by establishing and disseminating appropriate and rational industrial standards and thereby to improve the qualities of mining and industrial products, to increase productivity and rationalize the production by others, to simplify and make the transactions fair, and to rationalize the use or consumption of mining or industrial products and also contributing to enhancement of public welfare.

(2) OUTLINE OF THE LAW AND SCHEME
The competent ministers establish standards as the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) on the forms, qualities, performances, manufacturing or testing methods, etc. to be nationally unified or simplified regarding those mining or industrial products which the Law designates (Articles 11 to 18). As for the product specified by the JIS, domestic or foreign manufactures (processors), importers, exporters or distributors voluntarily apply for certification on their products to the third party certification bodies,"Accreditated Certification Bodies", that accredited by the competent minister, and they may affix a special mark (so-called JIS mark) on their products, that shows the product comply with the relevant JIS. (Paragraph 1 and 2 of Article 19, and Paragraph 1 and 2 of Article 23) When receiving the application, the Accreditated Certification body conducts a series of test to verify compliance of products with the relevant JIS and audit the quality management system of the manufacturer (or processor) to confirm if the products compling with the relevant JIS may be manufactured (processed) continusly. Any products manufactured (processed) at the factory that succcessfully passed such tests and audit shall be certified are qualified to affix JIS Mark on them. (Paragraph 3 of Article 19, Paragraph 4 of Article 23)

(Note) 1.There are seven competent ministers including the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry for the establishment of the JIS.
2.The JIS is non-compulsory standard by itself.

(3) CABINET ORDERS AND MINISTRIAL ORDINANCES
- Cabinet Orders including the Certification Bodies under the Industrial Standardization Law
- Ministerial Ordinances including the certicification of conformity with the Japanese Industrial Standards

(4) OUTLINE OF THE LAW
1) Items Covered
Mining and industrial products (exclude pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, chemical fertilizers silk yarn and agricultural or forestry products prescribed in the Law Concerning Standardization and Proper Labeling of Agricultural and Forestry Products)
- Number of JIS : 9,086
- Number of former specified commodities: 532
- JIS Marking Factories:
Domestic: 12,449
Foreign country: 474
(Notes) As of the end of March, 2004. Only the number of JIS enactments as of March, 2003. The former specified commodities system was abolished by the revision of the Law in 2004.

2) JIS Mark Scheme
New JIS Mark Scheme started in October, 2005 by the Revision of the Industrial Standardization Law in June, 2004.
The scheme was revised that the certificaton body was changed to the Accreditated Certification Bodies which accreditated by respective competent minister from the minister or its agency organization.. Any entities can select an Accredited Certification Bodies suitable for its application.
The scheme was also changed to be applicable to any products (processes) that the JIS specifies all necessary requirements for the certification such as criteria to product quality, test methods for verification of the quality, and other conditions for JIS mark from the specified commodity system.
Moveover, any entity other than certified organization is prohibited to use JIS mark, but they can indicate self-declaration of conformity to the JIS. (However, such indication is not allowed to use JIS Mark and make any confision with JIS Mark ).
Certified organizations were limited to the domestic and foreign manufacturers (or processors) but distributors and exporters/importers are also included by the Revision of the Law .
It became also possible to acquire the certification for a Unit of lot or Batch of products (such as a specific 1,000 pieces or 1,000 sheets).
In addition, the restriction requiring having the certification for each factory was abolished.
The requirements of accreditation for the certification body are based on the International Guides (ISO/IEC Guide 65 etc.). Accreditated Certification Bodies shall conduct a series of tests to verify compliance of products with the JIS and audit the quality management system of manufacturer (processor).
In addition, the design of JIS mark was changed.
Moreover, "Specific aspect type JIS mark" that shows the products compling with the JIS concerning a specific aspect, is also added.

<New JIS Mark >
Products	- Processing Technology -	Specific aspect

Accreditation Certification Bodies shall renew its accreditation periodically, and shall be surveied and made order to comply by the competent minister if neccessary. To the certified organizations, in addition to the implementation of the certification maintenance surveillance by the Accreditation Certification Body, the minister may conduct audit and order the certified organization to remove or erase the JIS Mark from the products or stop sales of such products.
However, withfdrawal of the certification can only be conducted by the Accreditated Certification Body.
All possible measures including a positive information service to consumers and users, the collection and appropriate handling of complaints, and the sampling test from the market of products including self-decralation products, shall be taken to maintaine and enhance the reliability of JIS Mark Scheme,.

The transitional measure period has been set up for three years (October 1, 2005 - September 30, 2008) so that new JIS mark Scheme may shift smoothly.
There are following five Accredited Certification Bodies as of November, 2005.
Japan Paint Inspection and Testing Association
Japan Quality Assurance Organization
Japan Testing Center for Construction Materials
Japan Water Works Association
General Building Research Corporation of Japan

(5) Other points of the revision of the Law.
JNLA (Accreditaton System for Testing laboratories under the JIS law) was revised at the same time with the above-new JIS Mark Scheme.
The scope of the accreditation for JNLA was limited to the testing on the products other than the specified commodities so far but was expanded to mining and industrial products provided by the JIS.
JNLA's requirement is based on the international standard for testing laboratory (ISO/IEC17025) .
In JNLA, about two years from October, 2004, testing laboratories already accreditated are deemed to be accreditate under the new system as a transitional measure for the shift to the new system.

(6) REFERENCE INFORMATION
Liaison Offices for Further Information:
Technical Regurations, Standards and Conformity Assessment Policy Division, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau,Ministry of Ecomony, Trade and Industry
Tel: 03-3501-1511 http://www.meti.go.jp
Japanese Industrial Standards Committeehttp://www.jisc.org
Office of Medical Device Evaluation, Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau of The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Tel: 03-5253-1111 http://www.mhlw.go.jp
Technology and Safety Division, Policy Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Housing Production Division, Housing Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Tel: 03-5253-8111 http://www.mlit.go.jp