Institutional Arrangements in Japan for Use of the Kyoto Mechanisms

22 July 2002
Decision of the Steering Committee of the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters

[Tentative translation by Ministry of the Environment , Japan]

The Steering Committee of the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters (hereinafter "Steering Committee") has decided on the following arrangements, based on the Decision of the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters entitled "Institutional Arrangements in Japan for Utilization of the Kyoto Mechanisms" (hereinafter "Decision of the Headquarters").

1. Duties of the Liaison Committee for Utilization of the Kyoto Mechanisms

Based on article 1 of the Decision of the Headquarters, the Liaison Committee for Utilization of the Kyoto Mechanisms (hereinafter "Liaison Committee") will make decisions dealing with approvals by Japan, as a Party to the Kyoto Protocol, of projects that relate to Joint Implementation (JI) and the clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol (hereinafter "Project Approvals") as well as any procedures and other essential matters relating to Project Approvals.

2. Ministries and Agencies Comprising the Liaison Committee for Utilization of the Kyoto Mechanisms

The Liaison Committee shall be comprised of officials at the division director level of the Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, that have a close involvement with JI and CDM projects. As required by circumstances, however, the ministries or agencies comprising the Liaison Committee may be added to or changed. In addition, general affairs of the Liaison Committee shall be conducted by the Cabinet Secretariat, with cooperation from the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

3. Arrangements for Project Approval and Support

• (1) Applications for Project Approval

  • (i)In the interest of ensuring the smooth and timely progress of projects, any one of the ministries or agencies comprising the Liaison Committee is permitted to accept applications from the project participant concerned, for approval of individual projects, with the choice of ministry or agency based on the judgment of that project participant.
  • (ii) The application for project approval may be made through either electronic or printed documents.

• (2) Ministries or Agencies in Charge of Providing Project Support

  • (i) Ministries or agencies in charge of providing project support are to ascertain the state of progress from the project start until the issuance of emission reduction units, etc., under the Kyoto Protocol, and to provide supplementary assistance, as well as administration of project approval procedures.
    The ministry or agency in the Liaison Committee that has received an application for project approval shall report to the Liaison Committee. The Liaison Committee shall decide which ministry or agency is to provide project support, in consideration of the preference of the project participant that has made the application, and provide notice of its decision to the project participant concerned. It is conceivable that in some cases more than one of the ministries or agencies may be involved in a given project.
    In the event that another ministry or agency comprising the Liaison Committee expresses interest in adding its involvement in providing project support, the Liaison Committee will coordinate matters as circumstances require.
  • (ii) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with the ministries or agencies providing project support, shall carry out affairs such as communications with Japanese Overseas Establishments, and diplomatic procedures with host countries and international bodies concerned, from the start of the project until the issuance of emissions reduction units, etc., under the Kyoto Protocol, as well as necessary administrative tasks such as negotiations with the relevant agencies of the country concerned.

• (3) Approval Process and Other Matters
  After examining the details of the application, if the ministry or agency providing project support deems that there are no problems to prevent approval of the project, it shall report such findings to the Liaison Committee, and the Liaison Committee shall conduct the project approval. If the project is then approved by the Liaison Committee, the relevant ministry or agency providing project support shall issue an official letter of approval.

• (4) Reporting to the Steering Committee and the Headquarters
  After the results relating to a given application for project approval are known, the Liaison Committee shall compile the relevant information and report it to the Steering Committee. On receipt of the said report, the Steering Committee shall report the contents to the Headquarters.

4. Establishment of National Registry

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment shall collaborate to establish a National Registry, which they shall jointly administer as the National Registry Administrators. In addition, the said Ministries must report the contents of the National Registry to the Liaison Committee.

5. Other Matters

• (1) Arrangements relating to utilization of the Kyoto mechanisms shall be revised as necessary, based on developments relating to international rules and other relevant factors.
• (2) For topics other than those set out above, the Liaison Committee shall stipulate separately any essential operational matters that may arise.