The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) recently made its first forecast for the size of Japan’s domestic health care industry in 2025. Having analyzed the industry by looking...
Regulatory Agencies
Agricultural Spraying Drones: Barriers to Single-Operator Use Remain
There are growing calls to ease restrictions on the use of drones in crop spraying to promote greater efficiency. Currently, permission must be obtained under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Act before...
Cabinet Office Settles on Outline for New Bio-Innovation Strategy
The Japanese Cabinet Office’s Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI) recently put together an overview for its strategy in bio-innovation. The council hopes to bring the baseline of Japan’s...
Japan Eyes Positive List System for Food Packaging With Potential Regulation Revisions
Moves in Japan to switch to a global standard for food utensils, containers and packaging have been progressing. A public comment period for a draft of amendments to the Food...
METI Plans Policies to Promote Offshore Wind Power
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has compiled a set of policies to encourage the establishment and spread of offshore wind power systems. In order to bring Japan’s...
METI Launches Study Group on Boosting Oil Industry Competitiveness
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) recently held the first meeting of a panel of experts convened to study the competitiveness of the oil industry. Two central topics...
METI Considers New Labeling System for Bioplastics
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is looking into the establishment of a new labeling system for bioplastics. The system under consideration is aimed at products with low-CO2...
METI to Encourage Companies to Invest in Energy Efficiency
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has begun a review of the energy efficiency standards for plants and other facilities. The government has set the target of a...
Chinese Environmental Regulations Continue to Impact the Chemical Industry
It will soon be a year since China began countrywide environmental inspections of chemical factories, held regularly since the end of last Chinese New Year. Conducted by special investigative teams...
JETRO Survey: 40% of Japanese Companies in China Receive Instruction From Regulators
A survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has found that roughly 40 percent of Japanese companies with business places in China have received instructions from the authorities on...
Chinese Cities, Provinces Draw up Rates Under New Environmental Protection Tax Law
With the Chinese government seeking to prevent atmospheric and water pollution through its Environmental Protection Tax Law from Jan. 1, 2018, the country’s provinces and cities have been drawing up...
China Sets Framework for New Safety Law on Hazardous Chemicals
China’s government has set a general framework for a new top-level law on hazardous chemical safety regulations. With this new law, the government aims to strengthen management systems, allowing digital...
Japanese Government to Work Toward New Biofuel Targets
Japan’s policy to increase the adoption of biofuels is at a crossroads, with the country’s current bioethanol utilization target for oil refiners – established in the Act on Sophisticated Methods...
China’s Hubei Province Moves to Ban New Chemical, Heavy Industry Plants in Yangtze Basin
China’s Hubei Province is getting serious in its efforts to improve the environment in the Yangtze River basin, which is the source of the region’s drinking water. Hubei’s Economic and...
Northern China Gets Tough on Air Pollution
China has fully ramped up its air pollution countermeasures in the country’s northern region. Hit with new regulations effective as of Oct. 1, the Jingjinji Metropolitan Region of Beijing, Tianjin...
China Announces New Plan for Limiting Volatile Organic Compounds
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) recently made a nationwide announcement concerning upcoming volatile organic contamination control measures under the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan, which comes in a bid to...
China Issues Notice on Chemical Safety as Part of Five-Year Plan
China’s State Administration of Work Safety has issued a nationwide notice regarding the safe production of hazardous chemicals as part of the government’s 13th Five-Year Plan. The agency has laid...
Tianjin and Shanghai to Expand Pollution Permit Systems
The cities of Tianjin and Shanghai will expand their polluting emissions permit systems to cover more industries as part of the Chinese government’s efforts to protect the environment. The municipalities...
China to Clamp Down on Northern Region Pollution
The Chinese government is stepping up efforts to control air pollution during winter across northern China. The cities of Beijing and Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong and...
EU to Lower Anti-Dumping Tariffs Against Argentinian Biodiesel
The EU has agreed to lower anti-dumping tariffs on imported biodiesel out of Argentina within the next few weeks, while those placed against Indonesia appear set to hold at a...
