New Establishment and Revision of the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) (March 2024)

1. Outline of the JIS

The JIS are a collection of national standards under the Industrial Standardization Act (JIS Act) that stipulate the types, quality and performance of products, data, services, and so forth, as well as test or assessment methods for ascertaining these types and quality.

Producers and service providers make use of JIS for the purpose of producing and providing quality products and services, while consumers and other product users make use of JIS to access quality products and services.

Related ministries and agencies have been establishing new standards or revising the existing ones in response to technological advancements, changes in social environments and other factors as necessary.

The establishment and revision of JIS is conducted by the competent ministers, including the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, through discussions by the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC).1 (Regarding a proposal for establishing a new JIS or revising the existing one, which is to be prepared by an Accredited Standards Developing Organization,2 the competent minister may swiftly establish or revise the JIS without holding discussions at JISC.)

Note:

1. JISC is a committee established by METI under the JIS Act.
2. Accredited Standards Developing Organization is a private body who are accredited as having expertise in developing JIS by the relevant Minister.

2. Outline of the new establishment and revision of standards

In March 2024, METI newly established 21 standards and revised 58.

Out of these, three newly established standards and one revised one were drafted by an accredited industrial standard drafting organization (the Japanese Standards Association) (see Appendix 1).

METI hereby introduces two newly established and one revised JIS this month.

(1) Establishment of a JIS for methods capable of simultaneous analysis of multiple elements in titanium and titanium alloys (JIS H 1633)

Titanium alloys, which are characterized by being lightweight and having high strength, are indispensable materials in aerospace and other fields. The use of titanium alloys in automobile engines and the use of titanium in fuel cells not only improves fuel efficiency but also significantly contributes to the realization of a decarbonized society.

In using titanium and titanium alloys as products, it is essential for companies to analyze the components contained in titanium or its alloys, such as aluminium, vanadium, and iron. However, companies need to use different analysis methods for each component, which is a disadvantage that makes the analysis process complicated.

To address this challenge, METI established a new JIS for ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) analysis methods capable of simultaneous analysis of multiple elements in titanium and titanium alloys (see Appendix 2).

(2) Establishment of a JIS for recycled pulp for urine absorbing products (JIS S 0261)

Demand for disposable diapers is growing as the population ages, and most of the used disposable diapers are incinerated after use. Against this backdrop, the dissemination and popularization of material recycling of absorbent pulp used in disposable diapers is vital in order to realize a decarbonized society. However, a significant challenge is posed by the objective demonstration of the hygiene and safety of the recycled materials obtained from used disposable diapers, including confirmation that the components contained in excreta have been removed.

METI has established a JIS that is designed to ensure the quality of recycled pulp for urine absorbing products. This is expected to objectively secure the quality and safety of recycled pulp, thereby promoting the recycling of disposable diapers by a variety of recycling methods and facilitating the effective use of recycled pulp (see Appendix 3).

(3) Revision of the JIS for ready-mixed concrete (JIS A 5308)

Ready-mixed concrete (so-called “fresh concrete”) is broadly used as a construction foundation material and is an indispensable product for social infrastructure, particularly for important structures in the civil engineering and construction industries. As quality control is strongly important for this product, the JIS and the JIS Mark Certification Scheme stipulate the quality requirements of the product and play an important role in transactions not only among producers but also among a wide range of stakeholders, including orderers (public and private entities), construction companies, certification organizations, and other entities, and are widely used throughout Japan.

METI has revised the JIS for the first time in five years in response to social demand for reducing environmental burdens, including the use of recycled materials and waste reduction in manufacturing products, requests from producers for the streamlining of manufacturing, testing, inspection, and so forth, and needs from a wide range of stakeholders.

This revision is expected not only to facilitate the use of by-products generated in other industries to produce ready-mixed concrete, further decrease environmental burdens (e.g., waste reduction and carbon dioxide emissions reduction), and improve productivity (e.g., promotion of labor saving and digital transformation), but also to improve the quality of ready-mixed concrete, increase trust from society, and streamline production and use (see Appendix 4).

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  Scene showing a sample being taken at a factory
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  Delivery note produced by a tablet terminal (electromagnetic record)

Source: ZENNAMA

3．Contact for inquiries about the respective JIS

If you wish to inquire about the details regarding the newly established and revised JIS, please contact the division in charge shown in Appendix 1 by email. Please clearly indicate your name, the name of your company (if you send an email as a representative of a company or other entity), and your contact information in the email.

4．Past news releases

• For past news releases related to the establishment and revision of JIS, visit this website.

Related Links

• The Japanese Industrial Standards Committee website (in Japanese)
• METI website for standardization and certification (in Japanese)
• For details on the respective JIS, visit here: Search for JIS (in Japanese)

Related Materials

• Appendix 1: List of Newly Established and Revised JIS Publicly Notified on March 21, 2024(PDF:123KB)
• Appendix 2: Establishment of a JIS for methods capable of simultaneous analysis of multiple elements in titanium and titanium alloys (in Japanese)(PDF:228KB)
• Appendix 3: Establishment of a JIS for recycled pulp for urine absorbing products (in Japanese)(PDF:326KB)
• Appendix 4: Revision of the JIS for ready-mixed concrete (in Japanese)(PDF:304KB)

Division in Charge

Information on this press release:

Standards and Conformity Assessment Research and Public Relations Office, Industrial Science, Technology and Environment Policy Bureau

Information on the standards:

International Electrotechnology Standardization Division, Industrial Science, Technology and Environment Policy Bureau