The Cabinet Office, government of Japan ＞ Top page of OTO ＞ Acceptances and Processing of Grievances(OTO)
Acceptances and Processing of Grievances(OTO)
I. Outline
1. Acceptance of Individual Complaints
1) By Fiscal Year
| Classification | Individual Complaints |
Problem Raising (Note 3) |
Report title | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal year |
No. of complaints accepted |
No. of complaints accepted (Note 4) |
||
| 1981 (Note 1) | 24 | - | - | 24 |
| 1982 | 82 | - | - | 82 |
| 1983 | 37 | - | - | 37 |
| 1984 | 51 | - | - | 51 |
| 1985 | 41 | - | - | 41 |
| 1986 | 31 | - | - | 31 |
| 1987 | 91 | - | - | 91 |
| 1988 | 13 | - | - | 13 |
| 1989 | 33 | - | - | 33 |
| 1990 | 42 | - | - | 42 |
| 1991 | 26 | - | - | 26 |
| 1992 | 20 | 31 (26) | OTO Advisory Council Report (April 12, 1993) |
51 |
| 1993 | 23 | 50 (21) | 1st MAOC Report (May 13, 1994) |
73 |
| 1994 | 18 | 48 (19) | 2nd MAOC Report (March 14, 1995) |
66 |
| 1995 | 13 | 52 (19) | 3rd MAOC Report (March 18, 1996) |
65 |
| 1996 | 10 | 59 (19) | 4th MAOC Report (March 17, 1997) |
69 |
| 1997 | 15 | 53 (8) | 5th MAOC Report (March 17, 1998) |
68 |
| 1998 | 22 | - | Comprehensive Review Report (December 7, 1998) |
22 |
| 1999 | 13 | 53 (12) | 6th MAOC Report (March 16, 2000) |
66 |
| 2000 | 33 | - | - | 33 |
| 2001 | 8 | 37(6) | 7th MAOC Report (March 18, 2002) |
45 |
| 2002 | 14 | - | Comprehensive Review Report (March 13, 2003) |
14 |
| 2003 | 8 | - | FY2003 MAOC Report (March 29, 2004) |
8 |
| 2004 | 6 | 7(4) | FY2004 MAOC Report(8th) (March 24, 2005) |
13 |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total (Note 2) | 675 | 390 (134) | 1,065 |
Note 1: The OTO was inaugurated in January 30, 1982.
Note 2: In addition to the above, a complaint was renewed each in January 1984, November 1986, September 1987 and June 1988.
Note 3: The Market Access Ombudsman Council (MAOC) or its predecessor,
the OTO Advisory Council, has almost annually clarified problems and mapped out relevant countermeasures as recommendations, based on problems as proposed by foreign business entities and others. It has so far processed 390 complaints.
Note 4: Figures in parentheses indicate the number of complaints for which specific examination results were worked out. For complaints subject to its recommendations, the Office of Market Access has decided on government countermeasures.
(For reference)
1. A report on examination of opinions and requests (106 cases) brought to the OTO was compiled on June 30, 1992.
2. In December 1998 and March 2003, necessary measures were worked out after a comprehensive review of past cases (individual complaints and proplems raised) brought to the OTO. A report on review of Government decisios in fiscal year 2001 and 2002 was complied in March 2004.
|
2) By Complainant
|
3) By Exporting Country
|
4) By Respective Office Receiving Complaint
| Ministries Receiving Complaints | Total |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Office | 534 |
| Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | 103 |
| (JETRO) | (63) |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 28 |
| Ministry of Finance | 4 |
| Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 4 |
| Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications | 2 |
| Total | 675 |
5) By Ministry or Agency in Charge
| Ministry or Agency | Total |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare | 246 |
| Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | 124 |
| Ministry of Finance | 114 |
| Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | 85 |
| Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport | 78 |
| Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications | 32 |
| National Police Agency | 23 |
| Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology | 17 |
| Ministry of Justice | 10 |
| Fair Trade Commission | 3 |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 4 |
| Ministry of the Environment | 3 |
| No specific ministry/agency | 1 |
| Total(Note 6) | 740 |
(Note 5): Figures include overlap complaints brought by multiple exporting countries.
(Note 6):Figures include overlap complaints for cases in which a case is handled by multiple ministries or agencies.
2. Status of Processing of Individual Complaints
(1) Status of Processing
| Status of processing as of June 21, 2004 | Status of processing of complaints filed up to June 21, 2004 | Complaints filed after June 21, 2004 | Status of processing as of July 28, 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processed | 663 | 667 | 3 | 670 |
| Pending | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 668 | 668 | 7 | 675 |
(Note 1):
| Processed | Processed means that the complainant has been notified of the ministry's or agency's policy for handling the issue and has accepted this, or that deliberation has been completed at the Grievance Resolution Committee or the Market Access Ombudsman Council. |
| Pending | Pending means that the ministry or agency concerned is examining policies for handling the issue, or that the ministry or agency concerned has notified the complainant of its policy and that the complainant is currently examining it. |
(Note 2):
Of five complaints "pending" as of June 21, 2004, four have been processed and one is still pending.
(2) Processed Complaints
| Classification of Action | No. of processed complaints | Status of processing after June 21, 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| A---Improvement measures are to be taken. | 229 | 2 |
| C---Misunderstanding related to fact relevance, etc. has been cleared up. | 246 | 4 |
| (Ca---Import-promotion effects were created.) | (133) | (1) |
| (Cc---No effects were created.) | (113) | (3) |
| D---No measures are to be taken. | 195 | 1 |
| Total(Note 7) | 670 | 7 |
Complaints that have been filed again have been processed as follows: Classification A for the complaint filed again in January 1984; Classification A for the complaint filed again in November 1986, Classification Cc for the complaint filed again in September 1987, Classification A for the complaint filed again in June 1988.
II. Details of Acceptance and Processing of Grievances
| NO.492 : | Simplification and expediting of quarantine procedures regarding import of apples |
| NO.626 : | Japan's policy on the list of harmful non-quarantine animals and plants |
| NO.649 : | Exclusion from the application of the Measurement Law of clinical thermometers and sphygmomanometers, which are currently subject to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law |
| NO.656 : | Promotion and facilitation of new technology (anti-termite technology) introduction under the Housing Quality Assurance Act |
| NO.668 : | Improvement of handling in emission tests for imported automobiles |
| NO.669 : | Clarification of inspection standards at customs clearance |
| NO.670 : | Lifting of import suspension of gelatin and other products using raw cowhide of U.S. origin |
| NO.671 : | Clarification of criteria for the status of residence of foreign business managers |
| NO.672 : | Customs tariff classification of immatures (poorly ripened brown rice) |
| NO.673 : | Import procedures for veterinary drugs, etc |
| NO.674 : | Relaxation of cosmetic regulations for CoQ10 |
| NO.675 : | Ensuring of an appropriate certification method for wood preservatives |