J-Moss – Japan’s green marking requirement

According to an article on the Electronic Weekly website, Gary Nevison of Premier Farnell notes that Japan does not have any RoHS style substance restrictions at present but, as with China RoHS, it does having certain marking requirements.Often referred to as J-Moss (Japan Ministerial Ordinances) the product scope tends to be based around volume consumer and business electronics:

The substances and maximum concentration values are the same as EU-RoHS.

Currently the only requirements are to provide a marking on the product and a product composition table. This requirement entered into force on 1 July 2006, the same day as EU-RoHS.

Two markings are provided to go on the product itself, all printed materials such as instructions, catalogue etc, on a relevant website as well as the packaging.

A “content mark” is compulsory if the substances that are present are above the permitted limit.

A “green mark” indicates that substances are absent or below the limit and is optional.

A breakdown, very similar to China RoHS, is required for each of the main assembles making up the product. The table should be placed on the manufacturer’s website and the URL clearly highlighted in any printed documentation associated with the product.

Rather than a “X” (yes-substance is present above the permitted value) and “O” (below the permitted value or absent) as with China RoHS, the J-Moss table uses a “O” if below or absent, the word “Exemption” where a substance is present but allowed by an exemption, and finally spells out “Exceeding 0.1 wt%” or “Exceeding 0.01 wt%” if the substance exceeds the permitted limit.