Question and Answer

A1: Please visit the following websites to see general information regarding CSCL.

1.General information on the “Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL)” http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/chemical_management/english/cscl/about.html

2.“Import Clearance Procedures for the Chemical Substances under the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.”

http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/chemical_management/english/cscl/importtsutatsu.pdf
A2: You are not charged for following CSCL procedure unless you ask for permits to export Class I chemical substances to Japan.
A3: A CSCL number (METI number) is the registration number of the substance in the CSCL inventory of existing chemicals.Unfortunately, the Japanese government does not provide a search service.

You may check whether or not your chemical has CSCL number (METI number) by using CHRIP on the following website:
http://www.safe.nite.go.jp/english/db.html

You can ask METI whether your understanding of CSCL numbers for some substances is correct or not by showing your thinking CSCL number, the CAS number and the substance name understands by structural formula.
A4: If your chemical does not have CSCL number, it is regarded as “new chemical” under CSCL. In this case, the importer must notify the Japanese government with necessary information before import. Please see the following website for details regarding CSCL new chemicals notification procedures

http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/chemical_management/english/cscl/files/about/03CSCLnewchem.pdf
A5: When the importer imports the product to Japan, the relevant CSCL number must be written on the invoice to pass custom clearance. So you must inform the importer of the CSCL number.