XN000022-1981-02-17 — Page 6

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1981

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ESTABLISHMENTS ENCOUNTERING DIFFICULTY IN COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE SHOULD CONTACT THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT 5-455422 OR 5-455255.

CENSUS AND SURVEY OFFICERS, CARRYING GOVERNMENT IDENTITY CARDS WHILE ON DUTY, ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST ESTABLISHMENTS.

INDUSTRIAL STANDARDISATION IN JAPAN

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THE COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY, MR LAWRENCE MILLS, TODAY (TUESDAY) EMPHASISED THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT TO HONG KONG'S TRADE WITH JAPAN BY THE RECENT REVISION OF THE JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL STANDARDISATION LAW.

THE JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL STANDARDS (JIS) MARKING SYSTEM, THE QUALITY MARKING SCHEME OF JAPAN, PREVIOUSLY RESTRICTED TO JAPANESE GOODS, IS NOW OPEN TO MANUFACTURERS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

OPENING THE SEMINAR ON INDUSTRIAL STANDARDISATION IN JAPAN AT THE NEW WORLD HOTEL, MR MILLS SAID THE JIS MARKING SYSTEM COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS,

+THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT THOSE BEARING THE JIS MARK' FIND MUCH GREATER ACCEPTANCE WITH THE JAPANESE CONSUMER THAN THOSE WITHOUT, AND THIS FACT MAY WELL HAVE SERVED AS A TECHNICAL BARRIER TO HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS WISHING TO EXPORT TO JAPAN.

+THE BASIC REASONS FOR PRODUCT STANDARDS ARE WELL KNOWN AND APPRECIATED, SAID MR MILLS, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT SUCH REQUIREMENTS CAN, AND SOMETIMES DO, ACT AS ARTIFICIAL AND UNINTENTIONAL BARRIERS TO TRADE.+

FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SAID, MANUFACTURERS IN HONG KONG CAN OBTAIN QUALITY CERTIFICATION OF THEIR PRODUCTS UNDER THE JIS MARKING SYSTEM WITH A VIEW TO GAINING ACCESS TO THE JAPANESE MARKET.

THE REVISION OF THE JAPANESE INDUSTRIAL STANDARDISATION LAW BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS IN LINE WITH THE GATT AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE.

CONGRATULATING THE ORGANISERS OF THE SEMINAR, MR MILLS UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO THE EVENT: +OUR EXPORT-ORIENTED ECONOMY MAKES US ACUTELY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONVERSANT WITH, AND ABLE TO MEET, THE PRODUCT STANDARD REQUIREMENTS OF OUR OVERSEAS MARKETS.

+THIS ALONE WOULD BE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S WHOLE-HEARTED SUPPORT, MR MILLS CONTINUED.

+ BUT THIS PARTICULAR EVENT HAS AN ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. IT DEMONSTRATES IN A PRACTICAL WAY THE FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATION BETWEEN JAPAN AND HONG KONG WHICH HAS BEEN GIVEN SUCH STIMULUS BY THE HONG KONG/JAPAN BUSINESS CO-OPERATION COMMITTEES,+ HE ADDED.

THE HALF-DAY