Reorganization of the Office of the Trade and Investment Ombudsman

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Reorganization of the Office of the Trade and Investment Ombudsman

In order to reorganize the Office of the Trade and Investment Ombudsman, the Office of Market Access shall be established in the Cabinet Office, and meetings of the Market Access Ombudsman Council shall be held.

Description

1.The Office of Market Access

(1) Duties

The Office of Market Access (hereafter, "the Office") will coordinate and act as liaison among the ministries in order to promptly and appropriately process specific complaints relating to market access and import facilitation, including import procedures.

(2) Composition

The Office will be made up of the following members. The Head may add other ministers as members if necessary.

Head

Prime Minister

Members

Minister of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications

Minister of Justice

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Minister of Finance

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Minister of the Environment

Minister of State, Chief Cabinet Secretary

Minister of State, Economic and Fiscal Policy

Minister of State, Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission

(3) OTO Executive meeting

The Office shall have a OTO executive meeting composed by public service staff from the ministries concerned nominated as secretaries by the chairman, with the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Administrative) as the head of the meeting. The Head of the OTO Executive meeting shall attend meetings of the Office.

(4) Other

The Head of the Office shall decide other matters necessary for the operation of the Office.

2.The Market Access Ombudsman Council

(1) Aim of establishment

The Market Access Ombudsman Council (hereafter, "the Council") shall be established to support the activities of the Office and contribute to expanded market access, by hearing the opinions of experts on specific complaints relating to market access and import facilitation issues, including import procedures.

(2) Composition

The Council shall be composed of academic experts in the areas of international economics, trade and so on.

(3) Other

The Head of the Office shall decide other matters necessary for the operation of the Council.

3. Other

The Office of the Trade and Ombudsman established on January 1, 1982 by decision of the Economic Measures Council and the OTO Advisory Council established on January 13, 1983 by the same Council shall be abolished. However, the Office shall take over the matters which the Office of the Trade and Investment Ombudsman has decided and the complaints it has accepted and processed until now, and the Council shall take over the matters which the OTO Advisory Council has investigated and deliberated so far.