Regulations in China now require low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inside all new cars sold in January of this year onward. The new regulations were put into effect based on the previously recommended VOC criteria by the Chinese government. Cars sold before January of this year will also be required to meet the...
Regulatory Agencies
METI to Encourage Data Integration to Create Smart Supply Chains
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will accelerate efforts to formulate policies encouraging factories and companies to link each other’s data so as to utilize it throughout entire supply chains. Japan’s Cabinet adopted a spending plan, Future Investment Strategy 2017, which characterizes the task of upgrading supply chains as a strategic concern for...
Getting at the Roots of Concern With Genetically Modified Food
Japan’s Food Safety Commission, an entity under the Cabinet Office, last month concluded that genetically modified (GM) potatoes pose no risk of damage to human health. Developed by JR Simplot Co. of the U.S., the potatoes produce a smaller amount of acrylamide than non-GM potatoes when heated. Acrylamide is known to cause neural damage when...
Japan’s Environment Ministry Mulls Carbon Pricing
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has begun considering carbon pricing of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The MOE will examine the significance and effectiveness of carbon tax and emissions trading schemes and the issues that they raise, aiming to prepare an interim summary before the end of fiscal 2017. If necessary, deliberations will be extended into...
Singapore to Hear Out Chemical Companies on Carbon Tax Concerns
The Singaporean government will soon begin surveying chemical companies regarding the introduction of a carbon tax planned for 2019. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is expected to present detailed analysis findings and listen to the demands and concerns of chemical companies so that the tax details can be optimally designed. The government’s plan is...
Japanese Government Relaxes Regulations on New Chemical Substances
Japan’s House of Representatives passed and enacted a new amendment bill at a May 30 plenary session for the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture. The lower house has revised the Special Arrangements for Evaluation Requirements that serve to control the total quantity of new chemical substances across Japan,...
Shanghai Softens Regulations to Encourage Science, Tech Growth
The Shanghai Municipal Government has announced that it will be moving forward with policies to promote the industrialization of science and technology. These policies will go into effect on June 1. As part of the science and technology component in China’s 13th Five-Year Plan, the new initiatives seek to turn Shanghai into a world-renowned center...
JPO Report: Global Patent Applications, Cross-Sectoral IoT Technology See Growth
A Japan Patent Office (JPO) report on technology trends in patent applications shows year-on-year growth in filings worldwide. Technology closely linked to the Fourth Industrial Revolution is a particular driver of this growth. A marked rise is being seen in filings for technology based on the Internet of Things (IoT) — regarded as the key...
China Again Extends Anti-Dumping Duties on Chloroprene Rubber Imports
China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has decided to extend its existing anti-dumping (AD) duties on chloroprene rubber (CR) originating in Japan, the U.S. and Europe. Duties ranging from 10.2 to 151 percent will be imposed for a five-year period starting on May 10. Responding to requests by Chinese manufacturers, the MOC launched an anti-dumping review...
More Problems for Japan’s Oil Refining Industry as IMO Toughens Regulations – Part 2
Despite already facing issues regarding the structural reduction of a shrinking domestic market, Japan’s oil refining industry is now being confronted with another problem. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a policy strengthening the regulation of sulfur in Class C heavy marine oil. Such a regulation will hurt the oil refining industry, as demand...
More Problems for Japan’s Oil Refining Industry as IMO Toughens Regulations – Part 1
With Japan’s oil refining industry facing issues regarding the structural reduction of the domestic market, yet another problem has arisen. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a policy strengthening the regulation of sulfur in Class C heavy marine oil. Depending on how the marine shipping industry responds to this development, the production balance of...
Japan to Repeal Seed Mandate on Prefectures, Expects Private Sector to Fill Void
The Japanese government made a decision on April 14 to repeal the Main Crop Seeds Act, which mandates that each prefecture in Japan produces and distributes its own rice, wheat and soybeans. The repeal will go into effect on April 1 2018 and is expected to lead to an increased popularity of products from the...
Japan’s Ethylene Production Down for 2016, Operation Rates Remain High
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) recently compiled its findings regarding production capacity for major petrochemical products. According to the findings, the annual production capacity for ethylene at the end of 2016 was 6,155,000 tons, a decrease of 433,000 tons from the end of 2015. The decrease was due to Asahi Kasei Chemicals...
METI Reveals Successful Case Studies in Smart Technology Investment
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has released a collection of early case studies of smart technology investments. The ministry introduced efforts from companies in the fields of oil refining, petrochemical, chemical, electric power, gas and infrastructure. Of these, 21 companies said that smart security investments improved both security and revenue. Many companies...
Japan’s Agriculture Ministry Concludes Self-Propagation Difficult With GM Corn
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries (MAFF) has published the results of field research conducted over three years on self-propagation of imported genetically modified (GM) corn. While some of this sprouted and grew after spillage during transportation, the research concluded that it is difficult for GM corn to self-propagate for generations in the wild....
UN Urges the Use of Wastewater in Agriculture
The U.N. is calling for wastewater to be used in agriculture. Publishing its World Water Development Report 2017 on March 22 to coincide with World Water Day, the U.N. has advocated a paradigm shift to see wastewater as a resource rather than a problem. Around 4 trillion kiloliters of water are used worldwide each year....
METI to Launch New Accreditation System Encouraging High-Tech Safety at Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will launch a new accreditation system on April 1 to promote high-tech safety at oil refineries and petrochemical plants. A ministerial ordinance was issued on March 22 to revise the associated regulations. The new system will encourage the adoption IoT at plants so that facility data can...
METI to Formulate Security Guidelines for Protecting Valuable Technologies
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to formulate guidelines to prevent the drain of valuable technology going overseas. An expert panel will be convened to consider the appropriate ways to manage information and prevent the loss of cutting-edge technology. After being drafted, the guidelines will be tested for effectiveness and improved using...
Keidanren Voices Strong Opposition to Carbon Pricing
In a written opinion concerning the draft version of a long-term low-carbon vision recently compiled by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) has re-emphasized its opposition against carbon pricing. The ministry is encouraging a policy debate until the end of March 2017, but opinion is still split over several important matters,...
Commentary: Government Causes Headache for Oil, Petrochemical Sectors With Overtime Limits
The Japanese government has embarked on reforms to change people’s ways of working. Among them, overtime restrictions and efforts to end the norm of long working hours are causing particular concern in the oil refining and petrochemical industries. The biggest challenge is the periodic maintenance carried out at production bases every four years. Companies risk...
