Announcement of FY 2012 Sixth METI Minister’s Awards for Best Contributors to Product Safety-Honoring Companies Highly Committed to Product Safety-

1) Objective

Best Contributors to Product Safety logo

In FY 2007, METI launched a program to recognize companies highly committed to product safety. Its aims are to establish a Product Safety Culture, a concept that values product safety in business activities and consumers' lives, and to create a safe and secure society where product safety continues to be improved.
A call for applications from companies and groups for the FY 2012 awards was issued in May this year, and the winners were selected through examination by the review committee.

2) Eligible companies and groups

Eligible companies and groups are those engaged in the manufacture, import or retail of consumer products and groups contributing to the establishment of product safety culture.

3) Number of winners

The best contributors to product safety are selected from the Manufacturer and Importer Category and the Retailer Category, each split into two categories of Large, and Small & Medium. They receive the METI Minister's Award (one in each category), the Director-General for Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Award (up to two in each category), or the Excellence Award. In the Group Category, the Special Group Award is granted.

4) Review procedure

The efforts to promote product safety submitted by the applicants were evaluated by a review committee consisting of experts, representatives of consumer groups, and others.

The committee conducted the first round review, which was document evaluation, and the second round review, which consists of on-site interviews and presentations by applicants. The winners were decided based on aspects such as the originality of the efforts and the degree of penetration in the corporate organization, with attention given to the characteristics of the products involved.

1) Large Manufacturer and Importer Category

METI Minister's Award:

BANDAI Co., Ltd.

Director-General for Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Award:

Toshiba Corporation

Triumph International Japan Ltd.

Excellence Award:

Miele Japan Corp.

2) Large Retailer Category

METI Minister's Award:

Joshin Denki Co., Ltd.

Director-General for Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Award:

Chiyoda Co., Ltd.,

PanaHome Corporation

Excellence Award:

Dinos Inc.

3) Small & Medium Manufacturer and Importer Category

METI Minister's Award:

Nissin Furniture Crafters Co., Ltd.

Director-General for Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Award:

Karimoku Furniture Inc., Meiwa Industries Co., Ltd.

Excellence Award:

Hasegawa Kogyo Co., Ltd.

4) Small & Medium Retailer Category

METI Minister's Award:

Kyowa Denki Shokai

5) Group Category

No winner of the Special Group Award

• Please see Appendix.(PDF:589KB) (in Japanese)

The award winners will be announced and honored at the Seventh Product Safety Inspection Seminar, as part of Product Safety Inspection Week, starting from November 5, 2012, for seven days. METI Minister's Award recipients will also make presentations at the Seminar.

Date:

Friday, November 9, 2012, 15:30 - 17:30

Place:

Sakura Hall, Shibuya Cultural Center, Owada (23-21 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku)

Program:

Sixth Best Contributors to Product Safety Award ceremony, presentations by METI Minister's Award winners, speeches on the theme of "importance of product safety," etc.

Admission:

Free

• For further information, please see METI's press release available on the following website (in Japanese)

November 2, 2012

Product Safety Division, Commerce, Distribution and Industrial Safety Policy Group