Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Law (Aircraft, Defense Products and Space Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Aircraft Industry Promotion Law (Aircraft, Defense Products and Space Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Ordinance Manufacturing Law (Aircraft, Defense Products and Space Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Bicycle Races Law The Law stipulates measures for fair and smooth operation of bicycle races. (Vehicle Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Auto Races Law The Law stipulates measures for fair and smooth operation of auto races. (Vehicle Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Law on the Prohibition of the Manufacture of Anti-Personnel Mines and Regulation of the Possession of Anti-Personnel Mines This law stipulates measures necessary to prohibit the manufacture of anti-personnel mines and to regulate possession of anti-personnel mines in order to ensure implementation by Japan of the Convention for Prohibition of the Use, Storage, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and for their Abolition. (Aircraft, Defense Products and Space Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Information Industries

Law on Facilitation of Information Processing (Information Services Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Act concerning the Circuit Layout of Semiconductor Integrated Circuits (Industrial Electronics Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Law on Exceptional Provisions for the Registration of Program Works (Information Services Industry Division, Machinery and Information Industries Bureau)

Consumer Goods and Service Industries

Gravel Gathering Law The Law aims to prevent disasters concerning gravel gathering and contribute to healthy development of the gravel gathering industry. (Ceramics Industry Office, Consumer Goods and Service Industries Bureau)

Law concerning the Promotion of the Traditional Craft Industries The Law aims to promote traditional craft industries which bred in Japanese history and environment, and use of traditional technique. It thereby contributes to a richer life and development of regional economies and the national economy. (Consumer Goods Division, Consumer Goods and Service Industries Bureau)

Life-Long Learning Promotion Law The Law aims to promote lifelong learning. It stipulates measures concerning preparation and implementation of concepts of promotion of providing overall opportunities for lifelong learning in specific regions. (Lifelong Learning Promotion Office, Industrial Policy Bureau)

Law concerning Regulation of Membership Contract concerning Golf Courses, etc. The Law aims to regulate membership contract by setting procedures for providing consumers with necessary information at the time of conclusion of membership contracts between consumers and businesses such as golf courses. (Service Industries Division, Industrial Policy Bureau)

Law concerning the Promotion of Tourism, Commerce and Industry in Designated Areas by Organizing Events Taking the Advantage of Traditional Music, Arts and Other Local Cultures The Law aims to promote tourism, commerce and industry in designated areas. It requests prefectural governments to formulate basic plans based on basic policies designed by the related ministers. It facilitates measures to assist reliable and effective implementation of local events of traditional entertainment by providing special measures to exempt from the Tourist Guide Law and the Small Business Credit Insurance Law, and so forth. (Service Industries Division, Industrial Policy Bureau)

Since the establishment of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in 1949, from a reorganization of the former Ministry of Commerce and Industry, MITI has played a central role in the development of policies on industry and international trade, through the implementation of many measures under its jurisdiction. Responding to changes in social and business requirements, MITI has made efforts to attain a more affluent society and improve the quality of life in Japan.

MITI activities cover a wide range of industrial fields, including basic industries (steel, new chemical materials, bio-industries, etc.), machinery and information industries (electronic equipment, robots, industrial machinery, automobiles, aircraft, information processing, etc.), and consumer goods industries (textiles, ceramics, household goods, housing materials, services, etc.). In addition, affairs related to foreign trade and investment, advanced technologies, environmental protection and industrial location, energy, and patents are among MITI responsibilities.

In coordinating the policies of a broad range of fields, the organization of MITI is grid like. Cross-sector issues such as trade policy, industrial policy, and environmental protection policy is administered "horizontally" for industry as a whole. Whereas, sector-specific issues for basic industries, machinery and information industries, and consumer goods industries are administrated "vertically" by fully considering the situations of each of these industries. In addition, agencies and attached organizations such as the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy, Patent Office, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, and the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology are responsible for their designated tasks in harmony with MITI policies. Within MITI, close coordination between the different bureaus ensures a broad perspective on domestic and international economic policies and careful attention to individual industries.

At the present time, MITI strategy has focused on two areas, "Economic Structure Reform" and "Revitalizing the Japanese Economy". In 1996, the Japanese Cabinet approved a "Program for Economic Structure Reform", and MITI has played a central role in promoting and enhancing that program. At the same time, MITI has coordinated policy measures toward revitalizing the Japanese economy through demand-side and supply-side measures. In January 1999, the Japanese Cabinet approved a "Strategy for Revitalizing the Japanese Economy", that outlines the necessary steps toward the reform of the supply-side of the Japanese economy.

MITI is also responsible for Japan's multi-lateral international trading system, and for support for Asia during its economic recovery. MITI believes that "a revitalized Asia means a revitalized Japan", and that international trade policy should be based on "rules"and not just on "results".

Following the reorganization of Japan's Central Government that will commence in the year 2001, MITI will be transformed into MITIE (Provisional Translation, "Ministry of International Trade, Industry, and Economy) with all of the tasks mentioned above. MITI will continue in its endeavor to better grasp domestic and international issues and to formulate and implement positive and flexible policies for coping with future problems.