USTR Issues Report on U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform and Competition Policy Initiative
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a press release and fact sheets detailing the Fourth Report to the Leaders on the U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform and Competition Policy Initiative.
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According to the USTR, this year's annual report discusses regulatory reforms Japan is implementing in key sectors such as telecommunications, information technologies, intellectual property rights (IPR), energy, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, financial services, agriculture, competition policy, transparency, legal reform, commercial law revision, and distribution.
Highlights of Reforms Japan Has Taken or is Planning to Take
According to the USTR press release and fact sheets, the following are highlights of economic reforms Japan has taken or will take:
Giving priority to new market entrants in the telecommunications mobile sector in its licensing guidelines for the 1.7 GHz and 2 GHz bands for new licenses to be issued early next year;
Removing regulatory barriers impeding the import of agricultural goods by streamlining plant quarantine procedures in ways that facilitate trade for U.S. fruit and vegetable producers;
Addressing the issue of tariff levels, including on nutritional supplements containing the same ingredients as pharmaceuticals;
Reviewing elements of the Foreign Average Price rule for medical devices;
Intensifying cooperation with the U.S. to strengthen IPR protection and enforcement in Asia and around the world;
Reducing landing fees at Narita International Airport, which will lower the cost of doing business in Japan for U.S. airlines and express delivery companies; and
Substantially increasing administrative fines (surcharges) on firms involved in cartels and bid rigging (e.g. from the current 6% of sales to 10% for large manufacturers and service suppliers and to 15% for repeat offenders).
(See Report for details of the U.S.' regulatory reforms and other measures.
The USTR states that the Regulatory Reform Initiative was launched in 2001 as a component of the U.S.-Japan Economic Partnership for Growth. Each year, the two governments exchange reform recommendations in the fall under this initiative. These recommendations serve as a basis for annual reports to the U.S. President and Japanese Prime Minister, specifying reform measures to be taken by each government.)
USTR Press Release (dated 11/02/05) available at http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2005/November/USTR_Portman_Applauds_Japan_Regulatory_Reforms.html
USTR Fact Sheet (dated 11/02/05) available at http://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Fact_Sheets/2005/asset_upload_file694_8293.pdf
4th Annual Report (dated 11/02/05) available athttp://www.ustr.gov/assets/Document_Library/Reports_Publications/2005/asset_upload_file560_8292.pdf