TOP
(Provisional Translation)

Report of the OTO Advisory Council (April 12, 1993) [Government decision]

3-(6) Combining the Trade Relation and Non-trade Payment Report and the "Report on payment for invisible foreign trade"

1. Complainant: Keidanren

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

3. Complaint:

Persons or organizations dealing in ship charters, insurance and other matters directly related to cargo import/export or brokering trade transactions are required to fill out a "Trade Relation and Non-trade Payment Report" and a "Report on payment for invisible foreign trade" and to submit these forms to the International Trade and Industry and Finance Ministers through authorized foreign exchange banks.

The purpose of the respective forms differs and some items on the forms are different but since both reports have a standardized format, in practice the applicant (the importer/exporter) fills out the forms identically and submits them to the bank.

The complainant states that the current format requires the applicant to prepare and retain separate sheets because the names of the forms and their destinations are different, and that to cut down office work the two forms should be combined so that one sheet can serve the purposes of both reports.

4. Results of deliberation:

In accordance with the complainant's request, the format of the two reports was standardized in 1984, considerably reducing the burden on the reporter. However, the present request for further revision indicates that the current format may not necessarily be meeting reporters' needs fully yet.

The ministry or agency concerned has begun examining the type of format that would be easiest for reporters to fill out for their various transactions and we trust that this will improve the situation.

Government decision (May 27, 1993) [Report]

With regard to the "Trade Relation and Non-trade Payment Report" and the "Report on payment for invisible foreign trade", the ministry or agency concerned should examine the type of format that would not put a burden on the person making the report.