9 June ,2011
Welcome to the Japan Chemical Exporters and Importers Association（JCEIA） web site. We have just started the first year as newly organized association by combining the Japan Chemical Importers’ Association and the Japan Chemical Exporters’ Association into the JCEIA.
We have three main tasks to be done as an association of those who are engaged in manufacturing, trading and handling of chemical substances.
the first−facilitating between the public administrations and the industry; as control of chemical substances by the public administrations is being tightened ,on the global basis, from various aspects, such as safety, environmental protection and export control, we keep close contact with the relevant administrations so that our members can fulfill their corporate responsibilities.
the second−providing information and services to the members regarding safety, environmental protection and other regulations relating with the international trading of chemical substances,
the third−offering opportunities for both the members and the administration to exchange information and opinions among them regarding wide range of problems in the international trade of chemical substances and putting up ideas, as an association, for sound development of the international trading and proposing to the administration for their policy-making and law-making .
It is a significant honor to be Chairman of the JCEIA. I will do my best to represent you actively and well.
Takahisa Miyauchi
Chairman
The Japan Chemical Exporters and Importers Association
Our Major Activities
1. Export Control
- Anyone wishing to export the chemicals listed in Tables 1 and 2 of the Export Trade Control Order based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law must first obtain the permission or approval of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). We offer advice and support, for example, in judging whether or not export cargoes come under the scope of the Export Trade Control Order, export procedures if that is the case, and the preparation of necessary documents.
- We provide active support in advising on corporate compliance with recent legislation, particularly (1) a corporate behavior based on the principle of legal compliance, (2) setting up internal self-governing organizations for export control, and (3) the provision and preparation of formats for compliance programs stipulating specific procedures related to export control.
- We also maintain close links with the relevant authorities, including the METI, and CISTEC (Center for Information on Security Trade Control).
2. Safety Management of Chemical Substances
- The manufacture, export, import, sale, and use of chemical substances are regulated by various laws, including the Law Concerning the Examination and Regulation of Manufacture etc. of Chemical Substances (the “Chemical Substances Control Law”), the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law, and the Industrial Safety and Health Law. Not only are there many of these laws, but they are also handled by different ministries and agencies. We offer consultancy on which law applies to the substances handled, what kind of regulation they are subject to, and how the requirements should be processed, among other issues.
- We provide information on REACH (regulation of new chemicals by the EU, short for Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals), GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals), and the Chinese version of the Chemical Substances Control Law (Provisions on the environmental administration of the New Chemical substances), among others, and hold seminars on issues that we judge particularly important.
We are involved in the “inter-consultation” being implemented by the EU on its REACH proposal. We take an active part in dialog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, such as providing requests for REACH proposals adopted by the European Commission.- We also search and provide information, following inquiries from companies, concerning the registration of legal regulations on existing chemical substances in other countries (using the “LOLI” search software of Chemiadvisor, a company contracted to our Association), toxicity data related to chemical substances (such as RTECS, the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances) using Micromedex search software, and others.
3. Distribution in Japan and Abroad
- Laws that regulate the distribution of chemical substances include the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law , the Fire Prevention Law,
the High-Pressure Gas Safety Law, the Industrial Safety Law, the Ship Safety Law, and the Civil Aeronautics Law. Complying with these is important for the safety of distribution. Whenever a legal requirement or application is amended, we strive to promote members’ understanding of the amendment and awareness of the content of regulations, hold seminars on points deemed particularly important, and so on. For cargoes newly handled by our members, in particular, we provide Q&A guidance on the material safety data sheet (MSDS) that are needed as information for distribution, as well as the content of regulations such as relevant legislation, style of packing, method of labeling, and so on.- We hold lectures and seminars related to the various problems encountered during international transportation ,both by sea and by air, of chemical substances, and organize study tours to provide on-the job experience , especially with the newly-recruited people, by visiting the port facilities in Yokohama and Kobe. As both the export and import of chemical substances between Japan and China has shown tremendous increase recently, so has been interest of our members in the Chinese regulations regarding chemical substances, especially handling of those categorized as dangerous goods. To meet the interest of our members, we have added new seminars such as “Basic knowledge on the logistics of chemical substances in China”.
4. Trade Statistics Database
- To meet the needs of companies engaged in exporting and importing chemicals, we aim to provide the industry’s best and most convenient Export-Import Customs Statistics Database for our members. The Database, which was only recently made available, gives the following basic data for the last 5 years (4 years in the case of ‘By customs point’).
By commodity − All commodities graded under HS 9-digit classification (consisting of 1,152 export commodities and 1,363 import commodities in 2004)
By month
By country − Whole world
By customs point (by port, by airport)
Amount
Volume
Comparison with the same month in the previous year
Unit price (amount for the month in question divided by volume)
Besides these, we also list export and import statistics by country in descending order of amount, up to 100 commodities.- While the above service is for members only, we also compile “Chemical Trade Trends” on around the 10th of each month. In these, we provide our own analysis of the above statistical data for non-members. We arrange trends for exports and imports by sector and region, in the form of well-presented reports with many color graphs. We hope you will make use of these.
5. Agency for Comprehensive Trade Insurance
We offer an agency service for trade insurance procedures via chemical comprehensive insurance agreements with Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), under entrustment from Exporters’ Association members wishing to hedge risks accompanying export transactions. We also offer an agency service for insurance premiums. Unlike marine insurance, which compensates for losses to cargoes due to risks accompanying marine navigation, chemical comprehensive insurance covers losses incurred by the exporter due to non-fulfillment of export contracts. It insures for losses, such as caused by inability of export, arising from political risks and commercial risks before shipment of the cargo, as well as irrecoverable losses of export cargo payments due to political risks after shipment.
Member companies that subscribe to chemical comprehensive insurance enjoy huge advantages − for example, premiums are about one-fifth of those for individually contracted insurance. This chemical comprehensive insurance is only available to Exporters’ Association members that apply for subscription to comprehensive insurance agreements. We recommend all members to join this scheme.6. Stronger Links with the Administration
We feel it desirable to build and consolidate a good relationship between our Associations and the administrative authorities. Taking legal regulations applicable to companies that handle chemicals, for example, the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law provides for export regulations, the Chemical Substances Control Law, the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law, and others regulate the management of chemical substances, and more than ten laws including the Ship Safety Law and the Civil Aeronautics Law regulate distribution. The government ministries and agencies that control the application of these laws are also many and various, and include the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Fire and Disaster Management Agency). And of course, these regulations and their application are also subject to amendments. We try to keep pace with such developments by holding seminars and other events for our members to make sure that their business activities suffer minimum disruption, hold exchanges of views with government and public officials, and so on.
From the government’s point of view, meanwhile, it is desirable that the actual circumstances of member companies are ascertained and more efficient regulation implemented when applying the law. We consider it important to actively maintain contact and dialog with the administration at all times, and we make constant efforts to this end.
7. Seminars and Other Events
We hold various seminars and other events that can be attended by Association members as well as non-members. The motto of our seminars is “To be useful to daily business operations”. Themes are divided into the categories of “Safety of Chemical Substances and the Environment”, “Export Management” (particularly security export management), “Distribution”, “Trade Insurance and Risk Management”, and “General Seminars”. Besides these, however, we also hold sessions to explain administrative policies, such as our seminars on the Amended Chemical Substances Control Law.
8. Admission
Admission Fee and Annual Membership Fee
Anyone who wishes to join our Association, please fill in the application form on the website and send it to us.
- Admission Fee: ￥50,000.-
- Annual Membership Fee: There is the tariff for Annual. Please contact the Association Office as below.)
(N.B. Admission of the applicant is subject to final approval by the Administrative Board of the JCEIA.)
Direct inquiries to:
- The Japan Chemical Exporters and Importers Association
- 3rd Floor, Sumitomoseimei-Nihonbashi-Odenmacho Bldg.
14-1, Nihonbashi Odenmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-11,Japan
Tel.:03-5652-0014, 03-5652-0333
Fax: 03-5652-1187
Homepage: http://www.jcta.or.jp/
