8 Reasons Japan Lags in Influence on International Standards

Posted by Bill Belew on February 4th, 2008 in Japan | Comments Off

The quality of Japanese products is arguably second to none.

Brand names like Toyota, Honda, and Sony come to mind.

So, why doesn't Japan have more influence on international standards?

Why doesn't the world look to Japan more for the way things should be?

There is a trend now toward unified international standards from the the size of welds to the whole process for putting together a large land mover.

Different standards can hamper free trade, serve as barriers to trade.

The WTO recognizes three international standardization bodies:

1. International Organization for Standardization (ISO),

 

2. the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and

3. the International Telecommunication Union's Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T).

Japan does not have the influence on setting standards that European Union countries do.

Why? 

1. Until 1995 Japan had its own standard, the JIS, Japanese Industrial Standards.

However, after the 1995 Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement), Japan had to make revisions to meet ISO standards.

Japan must fight for its own interests with regard to trade policies when the EU leads negotiations.

2. Japan does not have a sufficient number of negotiators.

3. Japan's negotiators don't have the technical expertise, a good command of English and negotiation skills necessary to win.

4. Japanese are not good networkers. Japanese are still trying to build a consensus when Western experts are making deals in small numbers in committees.

5. EU negotiators have a 15-20 year head start on the Japanese. 

6. Japan does not have the leadership of the EU and North American countries.  There are some 700 ISO committees and subcommittees. Germany, the U.S., France and U.K. all lead more committees than Japan.

7. Of the proposals made concerning international standards, Japan accounts for just 1-2 in 10.

8. China is seen is gaining as recognition as the new de facto standard bearer for Asia, increasingly becoming the secretariat of a number of committees.

Japan has never been a leader. Still isn't. Before long, the country won't even be able lead in Asia.

How can you make a non-leader lead?

Japan wants to know. 

source 

 


 

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