BRINGING THE US-JAPAN MRA INTO FORCE

UNCLAS STATE 154603 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ECPS JA SUBJECT: BRINGING THE US-JAPAN MRA INTO FORCE REF: A. SMITH-FIELD E-MAILS 11/1/2007 ¶B. SMITH-MCHALE E-MAIL 11/9/2007 ¶1. This is an action message. See paragraph 3. ¶2. BACKGROUND: The Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Results of Conformity Assessment Procedures between the United States of America and Japan ("the Agreement") was signed in Washington on February 16, 2007. By the terms of Article 15 of the Agreement, the Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date on which the Parties exchange diplomatic notes informing each other that they have completed their respective internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement. ¶3. ACTION REQUESTED: As communicated in reftel, Embassy is asked to ensure that wording is coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),arrange for identical dating of Embassy and MOFA notes, and then to deliver the following note to MOFA and receive MOFA's note on the same day. (NOTE: Embassy is asked to deliver this note in the first person, as per the first example, if the Ambassador is present at the time the exchange takes place, and in the third person, as per the second example, if the Ambassador is absent from post when the exchange takes place.) Upon completion of exchange, please notify L/T and EAP/J and pouch to L/T, attn: Karen Ghaffarkhan, 5420 HST, both the ORIGINAL/ORIGINAL MOFA note and a CERTIFIED copy of Embassy's note. BEGIN NOTE IF AMBASSADOR PRESENT: Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's Note of today's date, which reads as follows: "(Japanese Note)" I also have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement in respect of the United States of America have been fulfilled. The Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Results of Conformity Assessment Procedures between the United States of America and Japan done at Washington on February 16, 2007, will, therefore, enter into force on January 1, 2008, in accordance with Article 15 of the Agreement. I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration. John Thomas Shieffer Ambassador of the United States of America in Japan (His Excellency Mr. Masahiko KOUMURA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan) (note to be dated November X, 2007) END NOTE IF AMBASSADOR PRESENT. BEGIN NOTE IF AMBASSADOR ABSENT: Excellency: The Embassy of the United States of America in Tokyo presents its compliments to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and refers to Your Excellency's Note of today's date, which reads as follows: "(Japanese Note)" The Embassy also has the honor to inform Your Excellency that the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement in respect of the United States of America have been fulfilled. The Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Results of Conformity Assessment Procedures between the United States of America and Japan done at Washington on February 16, 2007, will, therefore, enter into force on January 1, 2008, in accordance with Article 15 of the Agreement. The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of its highest consideration. (His Excellency Mr. Masahiko KOUMURA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan) (note to be dated November X, 2007) ¶4. Department appreciates Embassy efforts to bring this Agreement into force. RICE