Import by Japan

Import Procedure based on the Japanese Basel Law

In Japan, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ) and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan (METI) have jurisdiction over the import procedure for hazardous wastes and other wastes. For the import of those wastes, the following conditions should be met:

  1. MOEJ shall acknowledge receipt of the notification of transboundary movements of the hazardous wastes and respond to the State of export or the exporter of the State by providing a written consent.
  2. Any person who imports the hazardous wastes shall obtain the approval of import under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.
  3. MOEJ may express the views or make comments about the treatment of the waste in Japan to METI, as appropriate.

The flow chart for the import of hazardous wastes is shown below. Any person who exports or imports the regulated hazardous wastes shall transport the wastes accompanied with the related movement documents, and when the imported hazardous wastes have been disposed of, the disposer shall give notice of it to the exporter and the State of export.

Flow Chart of Import Procedure

Streamlining Import Procedures

In spite of the fact that there are many companies in possession of technologies for the environmentally sound management (ESM) of hazardous wastes and other wastes in Japan, complicated Basel procedure makes the import a lengthy process even though a planned importations were intended for the ESM. The Japanese Basel Law was amended in 2017 (and enforced from October 2018) to streamline import procedures so that Japanese technologies can contribute to the ESM in Asia and other countries.

１．Pre-consented Facility and Importer

Concept of "Pre-consented mechanism" was originally introduced by the OECD: “the Decision of the OECD Council concerning the Control of Transboundary movements of Waste destined for Recovery Operation”. The Japanese Basel Law established two types of pre-consented certification schemes.

  1. Pre-consented Waste Recovery Facilities (as same as the OECD mechanism)
  2. Pre-consented Importers who supply hazardous wastes to those "pre-consented waste recovery facilities"

Some procedures necessary for importing wastes are exempted or streamlined in case that the wastes are imported by the pre-consented importers to the pre-consented waste recovery facilities which can satisfy standards for environmentally sound managements of waste.

The following companies are certified under the Japanese Basel Law.
(Last updated in October 2023)

(a) Pre-consented Waste Recovery Facilities
Nippon Recycle Center Corp.
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
Nomura Kohsan Co., Ltd.
MATSUDA SANGYO CO., LTD.
TANAKA KIKINZOKU KOGYO K.K.
JX METALS SMELTING CO., LTD

(b) Pre-consented Importers
Nippon Recycle Center Corp.
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
Nomura Kohsan Co., Ltd.
MATSUDA SANGYO CO., LTD.
TANAKA KIKINZOKU KOGYO K.K.

２．Efforts by Industry to ensure Tractability of Waste Printed Circuit Board

Under the amended Japanese Basel Law that went into effect on October 1, 2018, import approval by METI under the Basel Law is no longer required for waste listed in the Green List such as waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). After October 1, 2018, import of waste PCB is no longer required to follow the procedures under the Basel Law.

Although the importation of waste PCBs is no longer regulated by Japanese law, we enhance the traceability of the movements of such waste in Japan by other means. The following companies, which recycle waste PCBs, are taking measures to ensure the traceability of imported waste PCBs in Japan.

*Please note that the following companies involved in the recycling of waste PCBs voluntarily initiated the efforts to ensure the traceability of PCBs from the country of origin to Japan.

Japan Mining Industry Association
～Member companies～

DOWA Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Kosaka Smelting & Mining Co., Ltd.
- Ecosystem-recycling Co., Ltd. (East, West and North Japan Plant)
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
- Takehara Refinery
Kamioka Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
Mitsui Kushikino Mining Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
- Toyo Smelter & Refinery
Okuchi Electronics Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
- Naoshima Smelter & Refinery
Onahama Smelting & Refinery Co., Ltd.
- Onahama Smelter & Refinery
JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
- Hitachi Works
JX Nippon Environmental Services Co., Ltd.
Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.
- Saganoseki Smelter & Refinery
JX Nippon Mikkaichi Recycle Co., Ltd.
JX Nippon Tomakomai Chemical Co., Ltd.
JX Nippon Tsuruga Recycle Co., Ltd.

Guideline on ensuring traceability when importing green-listed waste for Japan Mining Industry Association member companies’ non-ferrous metal smelters
Outline of guideline on ensuring appropriate treatment and traceability of green-listed waste
Guideline on ensuring appropriate treatment and traceability of green-listed waste

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