. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/JPN/97
31 July 2003
(03-4071)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   JAPAN
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Gasoline (2710.11.137)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Amendment to the
Ministerial Ordinance of the Law on the Quality Control of Gasoline and Other Fuels
(1 page, in English)
6. Description of content:   Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will establish the
maximum permissible level of oxygen compounds in gasoline.
The present level: MTBE (Methyl t-butyl ether) 7 vol% (upper limit);
The proposed level: MTBE 7vol% (upper limit);
Ethanol 3vol% (upper limit);
Oxygen (included in oxygen compounds) 1.3wt% (upper limit).
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To ensure the safety of automobiles in Japan.  The amendment is urgent, considering
accidents such as automobile fire caused by the use of gasoline containing large amounts of
oxygen compounds in Japan.
8. Relevant documents:   Law on the Quality Control of Gasoline and Other Fuels
9. Proposed date of adoption:  by 28 August 2003
Proposed date of entry into force:  28 August 2003
10. Final date for comments:   23 August 2003G/TBT/N/JPN/97
Page 2
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Contact: Petroleum Distribution and Retail Division
Natural resources and Fuel Department
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry1-3-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8986 JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3501-1511
Fax: +81-3-3580-8467