[Procedure name]	Approval of Individual Containers
	(Procedure based on the convention)

[	Summary]
-	Procedure required for obtaining approval of a transportation container that satisfies the technical requirements prescribed in the convention to promote the use of containers in international transportation

[	Bases for procedures]
-	Article 14 Paragraph 1 of the Special Measure Law of the Customs Law on the Enforcement of the Customs Convention on Containers and the TIR Convention (the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets)
-	Article 16 Paragraph 2 of the Cabinet Order for Enforcement of the Special Measure Law of the Customs Law on the Enforcement of the Customs Convention on Containers and the TIR Convention (the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets)

[	Subjects to procedure]
-	Owner or manager of containers who intends to obtain the said approval

[	Time of submission]
-	Submit your application before using the said container for international transportation.

[	Method of submission]
-	Prepare an application and documents to be attached and submit them to the following administrative agency.

[	Fee]
-	The applicant is required to pay fees (9,400 yen per approval for fiscal 2000) in accordance with Article 18 Paragraph 1 Item 1 of the Cabinet Order for Enforcement of the Special Measure Law of the Customs Law on the Enforcement of the Customs Convention on Containers and the TIR Convention (the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets).

[	Documents to be attached and number of copies]
-	Structural drawing of the container concerned and a photo of the front doors: Two copies

[	Application form and description]
	(The following forms may be printed for use in A4-sized (portrait) sheets of paper.)
-	Application for Approval of Individual Containers (Customs Form A No. 1130): Two copies

[	Submitted to]
-	Submit your application to a hozei section official of the customs office having jurisdiction over the area where the said containers are placed for approval.

[	Reception time]
-	Office hours of customs (8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. except on holidays for the administrative agencies)

[	Consultation service]
-	For information, ask a customs counselor or the customs office that processes your application.

[	Submission standard]
-	That the containers must conform to provisions of Annex 1 of the Container Convention or of Annex 6 of the TIR Convention.

[	Standard processing time]

[	Administrative appeal]
-	Any person may file a protest with the Director-General of Customs within two months from the day following the date of acknowledgement of a disposition related to a customs declaration in case he or she is not satisfied with that disposition.

[R	emarks]
1.	The applicant is required to make the said individual containers empty when customs examines them for approval.
2.	The applicant or an agent is required to witness the examination.
3.	In principle, examination is held in the container yard of a port area or in a customs examination area.
4.	The approval of an individual container becomes ineffective when two years have passed since approval or when an important characteristic is changed or when the owner of the container is changed.