New report cites Japan-U.S. regulatory reforms
July 7, 2008
Hisane Masaki, The Journal of Commerce
Japan has made some progress in improving efficiency in its customs processing, according to an annual report to Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and President George W. Bush, which was released over the weekend.
The report details regulatory reform and other measures taken in the past year in key sectors such as telecommunications, intellectual property rights, financial services, and distribution.
The report specifically said that Japan revised its Customs Law this year to allow inclusion of authorized customs brokers in its Authorized Economic Operators program, which enables the declaration of cargo release and the declaration of duties and taxes to be filed separately.
The report also said that Japan has eliminated overtime service charges and streamlined clearance process procedures by simplifying the application procedure for overtime service.
The report was released on Saturday ahead of a meeting between Fukuda and Bush, held on Sunday in Hokkaido, northern Japan, where they are attending the annual summit of the Group of Eight nations.
On 100-percent scanning of U.S.-bound containers, required by the U.S. Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act, the report said that the U.S. is “aware” that Japan “has serious concerns” with scan-all and its potential impact on international trade and economic activities as a whole.
On the U.S.-required 24-hour advance manifest filing rule, the report stated that in meetings with the Japanese government, the Department of Homeland Security "has explained its obligations to implement the 24-hour rule, including that the 24-hour rule relates only to the submission of advance cargo declarations and does not require the physical presence of the containers themselves (and that, as a measure of flexibility, last-minute changes to cargo manifest data are contemplated and permitted).”
The U.S. “notes” that Japan “has expressed concerns that the 24-hour rule may lead to longer lead times and the reduction in distribution efficiency,” the report said.
On the 10-year, $1-billion Maritime Security Program, the report said that the U.S. “reaffirmed its commitment” to keep Japan informed of the list of the dedicated vessels and of any other changes of material impact to the program.
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