2010/SOM3/EC/036
Agenda Item: 10
Summary of the APEC-OECD Joint Seminar on the
APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist on Regulatory
Reform on Japan
Purpose: Information
Submitted by: Japan
Second Economic Committee Meeting
Sendai, Japan
19-20 September 2010
Summary of the APEC-OECD Joint Seminar on the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist on
Regulatory Reform on Japan
Held at on the margin of SOM1 on 26 February 2010
Background and aims
APEC, in collaboration with the OECD, developed the APEC-OECD Integrated Checklist (hereinafter
“the Checklist”) on Regulatory Reform in 2005 to provide instructions on a range of reforms, such as
regulations and competition policy. Following the five economies that had previously conducted
self-assessments using the Checklist, namely, the United States; Hong Kong China; Chinese Taipei;
Australia and Korea, Japan announced its intention to undertake a self-assessment at the EC2 in 2009.
This Seminar was held to share the results of Japan’s self-assessment among the EC members and to
discuss further utilization of the Checklist to facilitate regulatory reform in the Asia-Pacific region. Two
invited guests from the OECD participated in the seminar.
Summary of discussion
The seminar was opened by Mr. Bruce Paine, FotC coordinator for Regulatory Reform and Mr. Jeroen
Nijland, Chair of Regulatory policy Committee of the OECD.
< Brief Introduction to the Checklist>
Mr. Josef Konvitz, Head of the Regulatory Policy Division of the OECD, explained the progress of the
Checklist exercise and its usefulness in the context of the Global Financial Crisis.
<Presentation on the results of the self-assessment by Japan>
Mr. Hidekatsu Asada, Cabinet Office of Japan, presented the results of self-assement of the Checklist.
The OECD gave comments on the results, followed by an open discussion among participants.
Major observations of the seminar include;

The presentation highlighted that Japan has developed the institutional framework of regulatory
reform and progress has been made in the fields of regulatory reform and competition policy.

Importance of regulatory reform in economic recovery of the post Global Financial Crisis was
noted as this is consistent with exit policy.
Outcomes of the Seminar
Through this Seminar, following points were shared by the participants;


While the Checklist exercise has been successful since its inception, updating the Checklist may
need to be considered to reflect the current situation after the Global Financial Crisis.
The Checklist helps the EC members to share good practices and offers principles in reviewing
their institutional frameworks.

Further challenge is to make contribution to the “APEC Growth Strategy”. Regulatory Reform
could be an important component of the APEC Growth Strategy as it has significant potential to
revitalize the economy and enhance social welfare.