Global Compliance News
July 4, 2021 3 Mins Read Share
In brief
On 5 April 2021, the US Court of International Trade (Court) issued a significant ruling that overturns a portion of the Section 232 tariffs imposed by President Trump under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. §1862). The decision affects the duties imposed on US imports of steel and aluminum “derivative” products but not the more general steel and aluminum tariffs. The Court found that President Trump missed the statutory deadline when he extended Section 232 tariffs to cover steel and aluminum derivative products more than two years after he received the original Section 232 report. In particular, the President failed to issue the proclamation expanding the duties within the 105-day window beginning upon receipt of the investigation report issued by the Secretary of Commerce. The decision may provide a path to meaningful relief (i.e., refunds and future imports with no Sectio
Global Compliance News
June 9, 2021 2 Mins Read Share
In brief
On April 28, 2021, the House of Councilors of Japan approved the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), nearly completing the ratification process that began with RCEP’s approval by the lower house of the Diet on April 15. Japan is expected to formally deposit its ratification instrument with the ASEAN Secretariat after a few remaining internal procedures.
The RCEP, signed on November 15, 2020, is the largest regional free trade agreement (FTA) outside the WTO. Its 15 member states account for approximately 30% of the world’s gross domestic product (USD 26.3 trillion) and 30% of the world’s population (2.3 billion)
Kimiko Tanaka, a cafe owner who heads a civic group that supports foreign detainees, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture (Photo by Ryo Ikeda)
TSUKUBA, Ibaraki Prefecture At 7:20 a.m. each Wednesday, cafe owner Kimiko Tanaka drives to the Higashi-Nihon Immigration Center in the neighboring city of Ushiku, a trip she has made almost every week for 25 years.
She travels to the center, managed by the Immigration Services Agency, to visit detainees who have lost their residency status for various reasons.
Many of them develop mental or physical problems after several years of incarceration. Some have committed suicide or waged hunger strikes in protest.
A savannah monitor lizard kept at a zoo. A conspecific reptile appeared in a video uploaded by a man accused of animal cruelty. (Provided by Shirotori Zoo in Higashi-Kagawa, Kagawa Prefecture)
OSAKA An animal rights group has filed a criminal complaint of animal cruelty against a YouTuber who showed videos of his pet reptiles devouring live prey, including a rabbit and a hamster.
Legal experts say bringing charges in this case may be difficult.
The Law on Welfare and Management of Animals bans killing or injuring “protected animals,” or mammals, birds and reptiles in the possession of humans, without good reason. It also bans acts of cruelty, including physical abuse, breeding under wretched circumstances and neglect.