Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (May 13, 1994)

4-(2) International Harmonization of Certification System for Wallpapers (Interior Materials)

1. Complainant: Embassy of the United States

2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Construction

3. Complaint:

Wallpapers can be certified as a fire preventive material by setting conditions for base layer, weight by surface area unit, and fireproofing processing method. There are two types of certification: "Individual Certification" or "Simplified Certification". In Individual Certification, each type of product undergoes testing set out by the Construction Ministry, and each is individually certified.

Simplified Certification, on the other hand, applies to each of five types of wall coverings, classified according to their main constituent substance such as woven material, vinyl and so on, and generally to the wallpapers which do not come under these classifications (Specified Wallpapers), for which the Wall Covering Materials Association, an industry group, receives comprehensive certification according to their materials, installation method, and so on. Simplified Certification, in which the Association certifies that each product type meets the certification standards, and where the necessary fire preventive property tests are done, thus exempts individual manufacturers or sellers from some of the tests required by the Construction Ministry and makes it possible to obtain certification for each product type.

In the United States and Europe, woven wall coverings made of fire retardant polyester, a material itself which is fire retardant and does not require application oil fire retardant chemicals, are used. However, these do not fall under any of the five product classifications according to constituent material of the Simplified Certification system. Further, foreign manufacturers have had difficulty understanding the certification requirements for obtaining Simplified Certification under the 'Specified Wallpaper' designation.

Regarding U.S.-made vinyl wallpaper, when foreign manufacturers attempted to obtain Simplified Certification, they had difficulty understanding the intent of Simplified Certification.

For this reason, the complainant believes that woven wall coverings made from fire retardant polyester should be eligible for Simplified Certification as a fire preventive material, and that active and cooperative steps should be taken to make information available to importers and foreign manufacturers regarding the Japanese certification system and procedures required.

4. Results of deliberation:

The intent of the Simplified Certification system is to simplify performance testing for materials whose fire preventive properties are known or for materials which are known to have sufficient fire preventive properties on the basis of accumulated results of individual certification. Accordingly, foreign-made wallpapers confirmed as having sufficient fire preventive properties should be made eligible for Simplified Certification and testing simplified.

The ministry concerned is currently discussing with the complainant the fire preventive properties of the product mentioned in the complaint. Products meeting the necessary requirements should be handled as eligible for Simplified Certification.

It is also undeniable that information for foreign manufacturers, etc. concerning the Simplified Certification system through the Association has been insufficient. From the viewpoint of improving market access, it is important to provide information on the Japanese building standards and certification system, including the subject of this complaint, to both domestic and foreign manufacturers. For this reason, the ministry concerned established a consultation point on these systems on April 1, 1994, handled by the Association of International Communication for Building and Housing. The Wall Covering Materials Association is also planning to publish a pamphlet explaining how the Simplified Certification system works. These means are needed to help foreign manufacturers and so on, understand the system in question.

Government decision (June 24, 1994)

4-(2) Providing information on the standards and certification system for wallpaper

In order to provide more extensive information for foreign businesses, the Association of International Communication for Building and Housing established a consultation point on the building standards and certification system in April 1994 and will make sustained efforts to make information available.

Follow-up (June 5, 1995)

4-(2) International Harmonization of Certification System for Wallpapers (Interior Materials)

Explanations concerning the certification system for interior materials with fire preventive properties have been made as necessary to the complainant since October 1993.

In April 1994, the ministry established a consultation desk on the Simplified Certification system, handled by the Association of International Communication for Building and Housing. In addition, a pamphlet in English was published in March 1995 explaining the Building Standards Law and how the Simplified Certification system works, to help foreign manufacturers, etc. understand the system more clearly.