Market approval in Japan (MIC Certification)

Market approval for radio products in Japan is granted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) on the basis of the Japanese Radio Law and the Japanese Telecommunication Business Law and is a prerequisite to market products in Japan.

The exact certification process for market approval in Japan depends on the device itself or the technologies and interfaces used in the device. If the product contains radio technology, the certification process according to the Radio Law is necessary.

Japanese Radio Law

Products with radio technologies must be tested and certified in accordance with the Japanese Radio Law for market approval in Japan. This includes the following technologies:

• Bluetooth / WLAN
• Cellular technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G)
• RFID (2.4 GHz, 920 MHz)
• Ultra Broadband Technology

The Radio Law offers three certification procedures, ranging from self-declaration to third-party certification:

Certificate of Construction Design or Type

In this case, the product, including the construction and design, is certified on the basis of representative samples. An approval is granted if the product complies with the technical standards specified in Clause 24 of Article 38 of the Radio Law.

This approval process is intended in particular for manufacturers of radio products that are produced in large quantities.

Technical Regulations Conformity Certification

The devices are tested for conformity in accordance with the standards defined in § 38 Para. 6 No. 6 of the Radio Law. The tests and certification are carried out for each product. This process is primarily designed for devices that are only produced in small batches (typically less than 100 units).

Declaration of Conformity (DoC)

If the manufacturer own suitable test equipment, the test reports may be used for a declaration of conformity. In any case, a local Japanese representative must apply to the MIC for approval.

Japanese Telecommunication Business Law

The Telecommunication Business Law is an additional hurdle for the market approval of technical equipment in Japan and must be seen separately from an approval under the Radio Law.

Testing according to the requirements of the Business Law relates primarily to products that can be connected to the state communications network in Japan. It does not matter whether this connection is wired or wireless:

• Devices that connect directly or indirectly to the public network (both carrier networks and the public Internet) must comply with Article 9 of the Telecommunications Act. This is a requirement aimed at providing a minimum of Quality of Service (QoS) to users of public networks.

Prodcuts in this category are mobile phones, fax machines, landline telephones and WLAN routers.

Manufacturers who wish to market these types of products in Japan are therefore required to certify their devices in accordance with the requirements of the Radio Law and the Telecommunication Business Law. For both methods, it makes sense to use a so-called Registered Certification Body (RCB) for manufacturers.

The role of the RCB

In an effort to establish a more efficient Radio Law and/or Telecommunications Business Law certification for manufacturers in and outside Japan, the MIC has appointed Registered Certification Bodies (RCB).

An RCB therefore has the authority to process a customer’s application for certification on behalf of MIC and to issue a certificate following successful testing.

EMC and safety approvals

As part of the market approval for Japan, manufacturers must also comply with the MIC requirements for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and electrical safety. While the VCCI approval certifies the conformity of the device in terms of EMC, the PSE approval stands for compliance with the electrical safety requirements of the “Product Safety Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law” in Japan.