5th Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 17, 1998)

7-(13) Implement 24-hour-a-day processing of import declarations

1. Complainant: Tokyo Chamber of Commerce

2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Finance

3. Complaint:

With the new computation system currently under review, different from the conventional system that necessitated special opening, a 24-hour-a-day import declaration processing system should be established.

4. Corresponding Policy of the Ministries concerned:

Air-NACCS corresponds to 24-hour-a-day processing for air cargo (see note). The upgraded Sea-NACCS, which is expected to begin operating in 1999, will likely make such systematic handling for sea cargo possible as well.

Note: All year long, Air-NACCS operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, for system maintenance purposes, operations are stopped for 90 minutes, from 4:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. each day.

5. Remarks
The complainant's opinion is as follows.
"I understand that this is the policy as it now stands."