Provisional Translation

OTO No. 593 Classification MOT-49
Date of Acceptance May 14, 1999 Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint Economic Planning Agency
Responsible Ministries Ministry of Transport Related Laws Road Vehicles Law
Complainant Domestic association Exporting Countries
Subject Acceptance of European regulations for safety regulations for imported automobiles
Description of Complaint (1) The test speed for rear impact collisions in the regulations for preventing fuel leaks in the case of collisions, etc. was changed, and new regulations for protecting occupants in the case of front impact collisions were adopted, from April 1, 1999.
(2) A directive dated March 15, 1999, in the name of the head of the Technical Planning Section, Technical Safety Department, Road Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Transport (Concerning interpretation of conformity of imported automobiles with Article 15, Clause 1-2 and Article 18, Clause 2 of the Road Vehicle Safety Regulations), states that ECE regulations No. 34 on regulations for preventing fuel leaks in the case of collisions, and ECE regulations No. 94 and EEC order 96/79 on regulations for protecting occupants in the case of front impact collisions, which had heretofore been allowed, no longer conform with the above-mentioned new regulations. This has made parallel import of vehicles, which are only certified as conforming to ECE regulations, very difficult.
(3) Recognizing the regulations adopted by other countries is the prevailing trend in the international community, and as far as regulations for preventing fuel leaks in the case of collisions, etc. are concerned, ECE regulations No. 34 and No. 94 and EEC order 96/79 should be recognized, to broaden the scope of safety regulations and allow parallel import of automobiles from as many countries as possible.
Details of Measures 1. The ministry replied as follows:
(1) Concerning changes to the test speed for rear impact collisions in the regulations for preventing fuel leaks in the case of collisions, etc. and adoption of new regulations for protecting occupants in the case of front impact collisions, the safety regulations of ECE regulations No. 34 and No. 94 and EEC order 96/79 are lower than domestic safety regulations and cannot be recognized.
(2) Therefore, in order to determine conformity with domestic regulations, destructive testing involving real vehicles is required.

2. After this reply, the ministry took the following measures.
In accordance with the "ministerial ordinance partially modifying safety regulations, etc. for road vehicles" (Ministry of Transport No. 5, 2000), beginning February 21, 2000, conformity of individually imported vehicles with regulations for preventing fuel leaks in the case of collisions, etc. and regulations for protecting occupants in the case of front and side impact collisions may be determined by structural inspection, without conducting destructive testing. A notation to the effect that no destructive testing is conducted has also been included in the "remarks" column of vehicle inspection certificates, in order to inform users of the said vehicles, and new procedures have been adopted which do not require destructive testing of actual vehicles.
Classification of Processing A Directions I-a
Remarks
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