Provisional Translation
| OTO No. | 539 | Classification | MPT-10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Acceptance | October 27, 1995 | Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint | Economic Planning Agency |
| Responsible Ministries | Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications | Related Laws | Postal Law |
| Complainant | Domestic firm | Exporting Countries | USA |
| Subject | Concerning the handling through the mail of engine equipment and ignition tools for model rockets. | ||
| Details of Measures | According to the Explosives Control Law (1950, #149), which classifies toy rockets, and the Postal Law (1947, #165), which says that explosive, flammable or other dangerous materials cannot be sent through the mail, when model rockets imported from the United States are transported within Japan, the engines and ignition devices used for the rockets cannot be sent through the mail. However, after the complainants brought up this issue, the authorities researched and deliberated on the safety of model rocket engines and ignition devices and their relation to other laws. Based on the results of deliberation and specific conditions (the Explosives Control Law, Article 1 clause 5 states that the prescribed packaging must be used for engines and ignition devices and that they must be accompanied by a document certifying compliance with the Japan Model Rocket Association (JAR) for legal standards), the post office began handling parcels meeting the above conditions from September 2, 1996, alleviating this situation. Since a large number of parcels must be handled expeditiously, and to facilitate handling by the post office, the complainants were also advised that parcels carrying a certification of compliance (hereafter referred to as "certificate") from the Japan Model Rocket Association, supposedly the only organization in Japan which inspects model rockets, would not be treated as parcels containing forbidden materials. The complainant was also further explained that they should negotiate with the Japan Model Rocket Association concerning the certification to ensure standardization, since if certifications produced by individual manufacturers were attached to parcels, this could cause confusion for the post office. The complainant was additionally advised that after further study, the following conditions for handling parcels by the post office will be introduced: (1) that the content is classified as a toy rocket under the Explosives Control Law, and that it includes a engine and ignition device for a model rocket (2) that it carry a label from the American National Model Rocket Association (NAR) (3) and that it be packaged in a way to meet aircraft transportation standards for explosives |
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| Classification of Processing | A | Directions | I-a |
| Remarks | Improvement measures were taken on September 2, 1996. | ||