Provisional Translation
| OTO No. | 574 | Classification | STA-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Acceptance | June 18, 1998 | Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint | Economic Planning Agency |
| Responsible Ministries | Science and Technology Agency | Related Laws | The Law concerning Prevention of Radiation Hazards Due to Radioisotopes, etc. |
| Complainant | Domestic association | Exporting Countries | Switzerland |
| Subject | Relaxation of regulation concerning watches and watch parts painted with radioisotope tritium. | ||
| Details of Measures | Description of Complaint: 1. Since Japanese quantitative standards (exemption level) for radioisotope tritium are much lower than those of ISO and other industrial countries, it is impossible in actual terms to import, sell and/or repair watches and watch parts painted with radioisotope tritium, made in Switzerland or in other countries. 2. Therefore, the exemption level in Japan should be raised, taking into consideration distribution and usage of them in other countries, or such watches and watch parts should be exempted from the regulations of the Law Concerning Prevention of Radiation Hazards by making an exception. The ministry replied as follows: 1. The exemption level for tritium in Japan is not necessarily much lower than those in other industrial countries, some of which adopt even lower levels than that in Japan. 2. In some industrial countries the exemption levels of tritium used as luminescent deposit in completely manufactured watches are separately set higher in accordance with the specifications of ISO compared with the level in general. Therefore, Radiation Council is now considering the technical safety of tritium used in watches completely manufactured in accordance with the specifications of ISO and the necessary revisions will be taken based on deliberation in the Council. 3. The quantities of tritium in the ISO standards are intended only for tritium used in assembled watches, and do not cover cases where it is used in watch parts themselves. Parts and repairing come under the regulations of the current law. Since they will not be exempted from the regulations, it is not possible to establish an exemption period of three years which the complainant has requested. |
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| Classification of Processing | 2. A 3. D |
Directions | 2. I-a 3. III |
| Remarks | 2. Improvement measures were taken on October 30, 1998. | ||