RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/STR/Q1/JPN/5
1 June 1999
(99-2197)
Working Party on
State Trading EnterprisesOriginal:  English
STATE TRADING
Questions Posed by the UNITED STATES
Concerning the New and Full Article XVII Notification of JAPAN1
The following communication, dated 21 May 1999, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of the United States.
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In Japan's new and full Article XVII notification, Japan indicates that the Food Agency is
responsible for importing rice under Japan's minimum access opportunities, and that private firms can
import above the current access quotas for barley and wheat.  Does Japan plan to amend thisnotification to conform with changes to its rice import regime?  Also, Japan indicates that all of its
rice exports are food aid.  Could Japan clarify whet her the food aid exports are donations or financed
by long-term concessional loans?
Japan reports on page 3 of G/STR/N/4/JPN th at Japan Tobacco Incorporated (JTI) has a
monopoly on the manufacturing of tobacco in Japan, is the sole importer of tobacco, procures all leaf
tobacco produced in Japan, and exports tobacco.  Appendix Table II for tobacco (page 17 ofG/STR/N/4/JPN) shows that Japan's procurement pr ices for domestically-produced leaf tobacco are
nine times export prices and four times import prices.  Japan has indicated that it does not subsidize
exports of agricultural commodities.  Could Japan provide information to clarify these significant
differences between domestic and traded prices?
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1 G/STR/N/4/JPN