Report of the OTO Advisory Council (April 12, 1993)

2-(8) Clarifying specifications for alkaline storage batteries under the "Common Specifications for Construction of Electrical Equipment" and achieving harmonization between JIS and IEC standards

1. Complainant: the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Construction, Ministry of International Trade and Industry

3. Complaint:

Government Buildings Department of the Construction Ministry has prepared "Common Specifications for Electrical Facilities," which lists common requirements pertaining to equipment, installation methods and safety measures during construction. These are the specifications according to which the department orders construction of electrical facilities. Regarding alkali storage batteries, these specifications call for batteries conforming to JIS standards (or better, in some cases), but no clear standards or methods determining the meaning of "or better" are indicated.

The complainant states that since it is unclear whether alkali storage batteries made by foreign manufacturers and which meet IEC standards, which is the international standard, conform to these specifications, this effectively makes complicates participation in public construction projects. Accordingly,

(1) standards for determining what constitutes JIS standards or better should be clarified, and

(2) JIS standards for alkali storage batteries should be made compatible with IEC standards as soon as possible.

Regarding differences between the two standards, for example, under JIS standards, when capacity is specified this unconditionally determines dimensions, whereas this is not the case under IEC standards.

4. Results of deliberation:

(1) The "Common Specifications for Electrical Facilities" are intended only to list common requirements as model for specifications; these specifications alone are not a barrier to the use of foreign-made alkali storage batteries. However, to the person ordering construction, there are what determine the construction specifications and it is possible that import of foreign products could be impeded as a result.

Therefore, with regard to the above specifications, exactly what constitutes "JIS standards or better" must be clarified, to expand opportunities for using foreign products.

The Common Specifications were amended in April 1993 to state that for storage batteries which come under the Construction Standards Law and the Fire Prevention Law, any storage batteries approved by the Storage Battery Equipment Approval Committee of the Japan Storage Battery Association meeting either JIS or IEC standards are compatible with the Common Specification. This change has effectively settled the complaint in question.

(2) JIS and IEC standards lack compatibility because each set of standards was adopted or changed after other. Also, the IEC standards themselves are a mixture of various countries' standards and have not been standardized as an international standard. However, the ministry or agency concerned should review JIS standards and continue working to archive standardization with international standards.

The next review of JIS standards is scheduled for January 1994, and the complainant has agreed to participate in revising JIS standards concerning the shape of electrode plates and testing methods to make them more compatible with IEC standards.

Government decision (May 27, 1993)

Specifications for alkaline storage batteries under the "Common Specifications for Construction of Electrical Equipment" should be clarified and the ministry or agency concerned should review JIS standards and continue working to achieve harmonization between JIS and IEC standards.