Seventh Edition of Japan Toy safety Standard (ST-2002)
Only after nine months from publication of the sixth edition of the Japan Toy Safety Standard(ST-2002), the Japan Toy Association announced on 28 November 2008 about amendment of the
Standard for the seventh time. Toys that apply for the ST Mark of the Japan Toy Association
(JTA) shall follow and comply with the new standard on or after 1 January 2009.
The change relates only to Clause 1.1 of the standard where colouring matters that are produced
by chemical synthesis and used on toys shall be selected from those substances as listed in
Schedule 1 of the Food Sanitation Law Enforcement Regulations of Japan or colour migration
should not be observed after testing. This requirement shall become applicable to:
(1) Toys intended for children of 14 years old and under (instead of “toys intended for
children under 6 years of age” in previous edition);
(2) Exception is allowed for textile on toys intended for children over 3 years of age (instead
of “over 3 years of age and under 6 years of age” in previous edition) where migration of
colour should not be deeper than the colour of the solution which is three time as dense in
concentration as the comparison standard.
The lately change of the ST standard again brings in line with the latest interpretation of Food
Sanitation Law of Japan which has been effective on 1 October 2008. While the Food Sanitation
Law is applicable to designated toys that are intended for infants and preschool children (children
under six years of age), it shall also be applicable to toys intended for higher age groups if there
are possibilities that the toys may cause damage to the health of children under six. Typical toy
examples that fall in this category and subject to the legislative requirements include, but not
limited to, transformer toys, mechanical animal robots, board games with small accessories,
trading cards with printed cartoon characters and food imitation toys.
The new Japan Toy Safety Standard now covers a wider range of toy categories on toy safety up
to 14 years of age. This coupled with additional requirements including 8 toxic elements testing
for paint coatings and prohibition of both DEHP & DINP in PVC items for children under three
have made the standard more stringent than the Food Sanitation Law. Toys therefore complying
with the new Japan Toy Safety Standard shall be deemed to comply with the Food Sanitation
Law as well.
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