RI, Japan agree to export control<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia must implement an export control mechanism on
\n\"sensitive items\", otherwise it might meet difficulties in
\nimporting goods from developed countries, a discussion last week
\nbetween the Indonesian and Japanese governments concluded.<\/p>\n
Sensitive items include weapons of mass destruction (WMD) --
\nnuclear, chemical and biological weapons -- conventional arms and
\ndual-use items that have military or WMD applications as well as
\npeaceful, commercial applications.<\/p>\n
Export control is a preventative measure against the
\nexportation of sensitive items to countries of concern or to end-
\nusers connected to WMD development or terrorism.<\/p>\n
The bilateral discussion followed a two-day seminar on export
\ncontrol mechanisms to help prevent the proliferation of WMD, held
\njointly by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
\nthe Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the
\nMinistry of Industry and Trade.<\/p>\n
Atsuo Shibota, trade control director general at the Trade and
\nEconomic Cooperation Bureau of the Japanese trade ministry, told
\nThe Jakarta Post that developed countries might decide to stop
\nexporting \"sensitive items\" goods to countries that did not apply
\nexport control mechanisms.<\/p>\n
\"It's better not to export to a certain country than to have
\nsensitive items falling into the wrong hands,\" Shibota said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged, however, that applying an export control
\nmechanism would create extra costs for exporters.<\/p>\n
Shibota said Japanese exporters protested the mechanism as an
\nextra burden, as it required them to establish their own internal
\ncontrol program and an export control department, tasked with
\nconducting background checks on buyers to ensure that sensitive
\nproducts would not be misused.<\/p>\n
Moreover, he said, firms that failed to implement the
\nmechanism were punishable by law, including imprisonment and
\nfines.<\/p>\n
\"In Japan, a firm that does not apply export control is seen
\nto be on the same level as a murderer, thief or burglar,\" he
\nsaid, adding that Japan had adopted the mechanism 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
Arif Adang, a senior official at the Ministry of Industry and
\nTrade told the Post that Indonesia would gradually implement the
\nexport control mechanism, including the enactment of a regulation
\nwith criminal penalties -- however, it may take between five to
\n10 years for full implementation.<\/p>\n
\"Naturally, exporters would see this as a burden, but look at
\nthe impact of Sept. 11 or the Bali blast in 2002 -- they cost the
\nprivate sector dearly,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arif said the seminar and follow-up discussion were the first
\nsteps toward an in-depth bilateral study to help Indonesia
\nimplement the mechanism.<\/p>\n
\"The next concrete step we will take is to adopt Japan's list
\nof sensitive items and establish our own database,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The business community, however, views the issue as another
\ncase in which the government has failed to protect private sector
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
Adhi Lukman of the Indonesian Food and Beverages Association
\nsaid developed countries always found a way to come up with new
\ntrade barriers accepted under World Trade Organization (WTO)
\nregulations, while Indonesia had been unable to counter them.<\/p>\n
\"The government should team up with the private sector to
\nnegotiate any conditions proposed by developed countries,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-japan-agree-to-export-control-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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