The name of "the Electrical Appliance and Material Control Law was changed to the "Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law". And this law went into effect on April 1, 2001. In summary of the major points of the revision from the viewpoint of

manufactures residing in foreign countries (to be referred to as "foreign manufactures"), in the case of exporting Category A products to Japan. the direct regulations of "Foreign anufacturer Registration" and "Acquisition of Type Approval" by the goverment requested under the Electrical Appliance and Material Control Law were abolished, and in the exporting of Category A products to Japan. produres taken by manufacturers are no longer necessary. Instead necessary procedures will be taken by importers in Japan. In addition, type approval testing has been changed to a conformity testing, which has paved the way for participation by private testing and inspection agencies.