| TOP |
| 5th Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 17, 1998) |
1. Complainant: Tokyo Chamber of Commerce
2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of International Trade and Industry
3. Complaint:
Amusement-related machinery for commercial use (TV game equipment, pinball game equipment, and other mechanical games for commercial purposes, as well as stationary electric rides) is regulated under the Electrical Appliance and Materials Control Law.
In 1995, TV game equipment and mechanical games for commercial use went from being classified as government-approved items (category A electrical appliance and material) to being classified as autonomously approved items (category B electrical appliance and material). However, the Electrical Appliance and Materials Control Law Enforcement Ordinance should also be revised so that stationary electric rides are designated as a category B electrical appliance and material.
4. Corresponding Policy of the Ministries concerned:
(1) Concerning the items regulated under the Electrical Appliance and Materials Control Law, in July of 1995, 117 items classified as category A electrical appliances and materials (for which government approval of models is necessary), which were nearly all household electrical appliances, were changed to category B electrical appliances and materials (for which a business's autonomous confirmation suffices).
(2) As the electric rides prescribed in the Electrical Appliance and Materials Control Law are those that children will use, safety is particularly required, and they are thus handled as category B electrical appliances and materials (for which approval of models is necessary).
(3) From the standpoint of deregulation, revision from category A electrical appliances and materials (those for which government approval is required) to category B electrical appliances and materials (those for which autonomous confirmation suffices) is being done as in the past, and we will continue with related consideration.