(d) Except for 83 designated commodity groups which include matches, plastic products and glass products, no single beneficiary is allowed to take up more than 50% of the annual quota for each item. Preferential treatment would be continually granted to imports of the 83 commodity groups even after the imports of a specific commodity group from a specific beneficiary hare reached one-half of the specified ceiling provided that Japanese industry' is not adversely affected or until subsequent measures are taken to suspend the granting of such treatment. (e) The value (or quantity) of preferential imports of each
product group is announced monthly in the Japanese Official Gazette.
Beneficiaries
(a) then the Scheme was first introduced in August 1971,
preferences were granted to 96 developing countries in the "Group of 77" plus Taiwan.
(b) Preferences were extended to some other countries and
dependent territories in April 1972 and April 1973; the number of beneficiaries under the Sche now stands at 137.
(c) Hong Kong was included as a beneficiary on 1st April 1972
but an Exclusion List comprising 96 items applying only to Hong Kong and no one else was established at the same time.
Hong Kong Exclusion List
(a) The 96 items under the original Hong Kong Exclusion List
comprise of
(1) 68 items in the textiles and clothing sector, and of
which
(1) Hong Kong had no cxports to Japan in 24 items;
including yarn, jute, ramie fabrics, folt items, ropes, etc.;
(ii) Hong Kong had a significant trading interest in
only 10 items: including woven fabrics, stockings, undergarments, cutergarments, bed liner, brassieres,
ctc.;
•
(iii)Hong Kong's exports to Japan had either been negligible or insignificant in the remaining 34 items; they include rugs and blankets,. carpets and narrow woven fabrics.
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