Just like other countries, after obtaining type approval in Japan, there will be labelling obligation applied. This obligation is different for each product classification. That’s why before applying the label, we must know into which classification our product is falling into.
As we know, there are five different product categories in Japan. These categories are Specified Radio Equipment (SRE), Special Specified Radio Equipment (SSRE), Telecom Terminals, High-Frequency Devices (HFD), and Extremely Low-Power (ELP). Each of these product categories has different labelling format. You can find out the labelling rule and format for each product categories in the following explanations.
For Specified Radio Equipment (SRE), Special Specified Radio Equipment (SSRE), and Telecom Terminals, these three product categories need to apply Giteki marks. There are two types of Giteki Marks. The one with “R” and the one with “T” symbol.
The R symbol symbolizes “Radio Equipment”. It’s applied to SRE product and SSRE products, or products that are intentionally transmit RF signal for the purposes of communication such as WiFi Routers, Bluetooth devices, Low Power devices, RFID, etc. On the other hands, the Giteki marks with “T” symbol symbolizes “Telecom Terminals Equipment”. This is applied to devices connected directly to public telecom networks. Some examples are telephones and LTE gateway.
For your reference, below is the format both R and T Giteki Marks.
The next product category is High-Frequency Device (HFD). HFD is basically non-communication device which emits RF energy for scientific, industry, or medical use. Some examples are RF welder, induction cookers, microwave oven, industrial heating systems, etc. For HFD device, it must be labelled using HFD marks. Below is the format of HFD marks:
Last category is Extremely Low-Power or ELP devices. These are the devices that transmit RF signal which can be categorized as below Radio Law-defined field-strength thresholds. Some examples are Key fobs, RFID tags, toys, etc. For ELP devices, they are mandatory to affix the ELP label according to the following format:
When the product has enough surface, the label must be affixed permanently to the product. In affixing the label, it must be clearly visible, so we must affix it on the side where the buyer can find it easily. If the device is too small so it’s not possible to affix the label, it is allowed to affix the label on user manual or as an electronic label. However, the use of E-label needs permission from MIC, and it must be easily accessed by the user.
Why We Care
Labelling rule for Japan Type Approval is quite complex. Japan is not applying a single label format for all certified products. But they have multiple formats, where each format is applied to specific product category. In other words, to know which label is relevant to our product, we first need to know the categories where our product falls into. Once the product category is decided, we can decide which label is relevant to our product. This is not a simple process. To decide, we need a deeper analysis. So, if you have any difficulties in doing it, feel free to contact us for a consultation.