METI will offer cooperation concerning product safety together with auction shopping site operators.

1. In order to ensure the safety of consumers, METI has made efforts for the distribution of safe products, such as restricting sales of products other than those conforming to technical standards based on the four Acts relating to product safety,(Note) such as the Consumer Product Safety Act.

   (Note) The four Acts relating to product safety refers to the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act, the Gas Business Act, and the Act on the Securing of Safety and the Optimization of Transactions of Liquefied Petroleum Gas

2. In recent years, the dissemination of the Internet has brought about the expansion of the sales of products by business operators using internet auction sites or internet shopping sites.

   In light of this, METI decided to take measures as follows for compliance with the four Acts relating to product safety, in cooperation with DeNA Co., Ltd., MOBAOKU Co., Ltd., Yahoo Japan Corporation, Rakuten Inc., and Rakuten Auction, Inc.

   Appendix : Cooperation concerning Product Safety between METI and Business Operators of Auction/Shopping Sites

   

   1. Dissemination of information on compliance with product safety-related Acts on websites
      The following websites provide sellers and users of internet auction sites and internet shopping sites with information on compliance with product safety-related Acts and information calling for attention.

      (Examples)

      <DeNA Co., Ltd.>

      Providing information on legal compliance, targeting its shopping site's users and sellers
      http://bidders.jp/news/20120525.html(in Japanese)

      <MOBAOKU Co., Ltd.>

      Providing information on legal compliance, targeting its auction site's users and sellers
      http://www.mbok.jp/_info?ann_no=696(in Japanese)

      < Yahoo Japan Corporation>

      Providing information on legal compliance on the page for Yahoo Auction sellers
      http://special.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/html/rules/sell3.html(in Japanese)

      Providing information on legal compliance on the page for exclusive notifications for Yahoo Auction store operators

      <Rakuten Inc.>

      Providing information on legal compliance on the page for sellers using Rakuten Ichiba

      < Rakuten Auction, Inc.>

      Placing a notice on the Rakuten Auction notification page, titled "[Important] Notes for auctioning goods with PS Mark"
      http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/auctioninfo/diary/201205300000/(in Japanese)

   2. Cooperation by METI with the survey and violation response

      • Development of means whereby METI can directly contact exhibitors
      • Cooperation by METI for the survey and violation response

   3. Establishment of the contact point and holding of liaison meetings

      • A contact point will be established for smooth communication between METI and the five companies.
      • Liaison meetings will be held periodically to exchange information and opinions concerning product safety between METI and the five companies.

3. METI will promote cooperation with these five companies and will consider expanding collaboration with other business entities operating similar sites, thereby endeavoring to ensure safety of consumers through ensuring that the four Acts relating to product safety are thoroughly observed in sales activities using the Internet.

June 11, 2012

Product Safety Division, Commerce and Distribution Policy Group