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24 June 2020  
(20-4388) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM T HE CHAIRPERSON OF TH E TRADE POLICY REVIE W BODY  
JAPAN 
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
Revision  
 
1. In pursuance of Article  IV, paragraph  4 and Annex  3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is now scheduled for 6 and 8 July  2020 to conduct the  fourteenth review 
of the trade policies and practices of Japan  (WTO/AIR/ TPR/95/Rev.1 ). 
2. This communication sets out arrangements  concerning the review meeting.  In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev. 4) and to DDG Karl Brauner's information 
notes sent on 10 and 15 June 2020 on the Re sumption of Meetings at the WTO . 
3. Members' attention is drawn to the use of the "alternative" time -frame by Japan  for 
submission of written questions and responses . 
1  QUESTIONS IN WRITING  IN ADVANCE OF THE M EETING AND MAIN POIN TS 
4. Members wishing to submit wri tten questions to the Member under review should 
have done so at least five weeks before the initial review meeting date to allow replies to 
be submitted  one w eek prior to  the first session of the meeting.  For the forthcoming review, 
such questions should therefore had been with the Trade  Policies Review Division of the Secretariat 
(tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m., on Wednesday 12 February 2020. 
5. In accordance  with the rules of procedure of the TPRB (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 17), 
Members are reminded that they should group their written questions into the following three 
categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a reference to 
relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the Government report (with a reference to relevant 
paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
6. The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
five weeks before a review meeting, post them on the Members' Website one week before the 
meeting, and distribute a revised list of main points during the first session of a review when 
questions received after the five-week deadline give rise to si gnificantly new is sues. The main points 
may be found on the Members' Websi te under "Forthcoming Meetings:  Documents for Meetings".  
2  ANSWERS IN WRITING B Y THE MEMBER UNDER R EVIEW  
7. Answers by the Member under review should be distributed in writing. Advance questions 
submitted by the five-week deadline before the start of the initial TPRB review date should 
be answered in writing by the Member under review one week prior to the start  of the 
meeting ( 29 June 2020). Written answers will be made available on the Members' website 
four working days prior to the meeting ( 30 June 2020). Questions posed subsequently should 
be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting. Questions WT/TPR/ 443/Rev.1  
 
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 left unanswered at the end of the second session should be answered in writing no later than one 
month after the meeti ng with some latitude in the Chair's discretion for Members reviewing a very 
large number of questions.  
8. In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indicate 
that it intends to provide supplementary information, in wr iting, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
3  DISCUSSANT  
9. In consultation with the Member under review, the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body 
may choose a disc ussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduc e the discussions in the 
Body. H.E. Mr. Dagfinn S ørli (Norway ) will act as discussant  for the review of Japan.  
4  STRUCTURE OF THE MEE TING  
10. Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of t he full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the external 
environment;  
c. impact of the Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading system; and 
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
11. Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the Member under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. 
The discussion in the second session, when the Member under review will reply to questions, is  based 
on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, the discussant and the 
Secretariat in consultation with the Member.  
12. As indicated in the rule s of procedure for TPRB meetings (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 21), t he 
speakers ' list will follow the order in which questions are rec eived by the Secretariat and in the event 
of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers.  Delegations not 
submitting written questions will continue to speak second, in the order in which their flags are 
raised.  On the day before each review meeting, the Secretariat will post on the WTO Members' 
website a provisional list of speakers for the first session of that meeting, for Members' advance 
information . 
5  DOCUMENTATION AND PR ESS ARRANGEMENTS  
13. Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained in the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 397  Report by Japan  
 
WT/TPR/S/ 397  Japan: Report by the Secretariat  
14. The press embargo for the review of  Japan  will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva time on  6 July  2020. 
6  RECORD OF THE MEETIN G 
15. The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
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