METI cracks on old-electronics law

Much has been written recently about the impending Japanese law prohibiting the sale of electrical goods that do not bear the so-called PSE mark. Musicians from Ryuichi Sakamoto downwards had protested, arguing quite rightly that it would mean the death of the second-hand market for old musical gear, pricing new musicians out of the market and denying the more pecunious access to classic synthesizers and audio equipment.

For all METI's "we may not have done enough to let you know, but we're still going ahead" pose, it seems that they've finally done the right thing; ITmedia and other sources are reporting that an exception clause is to be worked into the law that will allow musical instruments and other articles that meet the criteria to be sold secondhand without certification (though some paperwork will be required). Items will have to be out of production and with significant rarity value (i.e., no comparable new product exists), they must have been certified under the previous safety law, and they must be sold to someone "familiar with their handling" and resident domestically.

METI is also simplifying the procedures by which second-hand dealers are able to register themselves as "manufacturers" and become able to assign their own PSE marks to goods they sell.

Nice to see the government step back from the brink on this, particularly in the sense that they did it in response to popular objection.

[Via Slashdot Japan (Japanese)]