About CISTEC

History of CISTEC

Founded in April 1989, CISTEC is the only non-profit, non-governmental organization in Japan dealing with security export control issues comprehensively. CISTEC has been founded in order to contribute to the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security by promoting the rational export control for Japan's economic activities. At the same time, it aims to promote international harmonization through laws and regulations based on international agreements.

CISTEC Mission

CISTEC Mission Statement: CISTEC aims to contribute to world peace by supporting rational and effective security export control and by serving as a "linkage channel" among industry, government and academia on security export control.
CISTEC Missions: a. Accumulate the Wisdom of Experts on Security Export Control and Apply the Knowledge.
b. Support the Voluntary Export Controls of Businesses.
c. Provide More Vital Security Export Control Information through On-line.
d. Represent Japanese Industry in Asia and Elsewhere to Contribute the International Security Export Control Regime.

Support for voluntary export controls by businesses

Support through Individual Consultation for Companies

CISTEC can provide advices for issues and concerns of security export controls and check if goods and technologies are regulated or not. The, CISTEC can also help the export planning, negotiation, contract, and license application if it’s required.

Assist Compliance Program (CP)

CISTEC provides businesses practical consultations to setup compliance programs (CP) on the companies’ scale and supports to establish their export control systems in their companies.

Provide Export Control Resources (Parameter Sheets, Guides, etc.)

CISTEC provides the most updated the export control - related guides, the parameter sheets, and the manuals from the research achievements and accumulated experiences by our subcommittees, expert committees, and study groups for references to export control unit.

Offer Training Seminars for Businesses

CISTEC offers the following training seminars and conferences to give companies an overview of voluntary export control to improve the awareness of the importance of export controls and the screening ability of export control unit.
- Training Seminars and Conference for Security Trade
- Training Seminars for Export Control Unit

Dispatch of Instructors

CISTEC dispatches instructors for export control seminars and other training programs held by companies and/or trade associations.

Hold Exams for Security Trade Certification

To improve export control staff ability and motivation in businesses, CISTEC offers a certification exam of export control. Candidates who achieve passing scores on the exams will receive "STC Associates" and "STC Expert" as their certificates.

Publication of Certain Items after Company’s Self-Classification

CISTEC publicizes certain items by companies’ request to simplify export procedures. These items have to be gone through the self-classification by the companies, and those companies have to meet some requirement such as having CP system to ask CISTEC to publish their items after their self-classification.

Research and Representation of Opinions from Businesses on Security Export Control

Collect and Analysis of Fundamental Data on Goods and Technologies: In order to contribute international peace and security, CISTEC systematically collects both domestic and international information on goods and technologies in relations to weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons as the standpoint in the private sector. By taking advantage of the high technology available in the private sectors, CISTEC also collects fundamental data on goods and technologies and analyzes for “foreign availability”, “controllability”, and production/technology levels. Then, CISTEC seeks to achieve rational international export controls by providing the research results and analysis to the Government.
Study and Research for Domestic and International Export Control Regulations: To promote the harmonization of the international export control regimes and to support global activities by businesses, CISTEC continues to study and research for domestic and international legal system, the actual process of laws and regulations, and the interpretations on export controls.
Research for Methods and Resources which Can Be Useful for Export Controls: CISTEC researches for methods that assist procedures, clarifies the details of regulations, and studies voluntary export control, guidelines and practical resources for export controls.
Transmits Opinions from Businesses and Recommendations to the Government: In the committees and subcommittees under the Export Control Research Committee (see the organization chart on page 8 for details), CISTEC conducts the study and research described in a, b, and c above and also exchanges information on goods and technologies related to security export controls. To contribute to the framework of export control system, reform of the system, and the procedures, CISTEC also collects and transmits opinions and needs of business and industry, especially of its associated members, to the Government. At a same time, CISTEC provides recommendations to the businesses and to the government.

Provision of information on security export control

Provision of Information regarding Current Security and End-Users: CISTEC General Database
CISTEC provides on-line database service. The on-line information, which is the CISTEC research achievement, is uploaded after CISTEC collects and analyzes export control related information systematically. This includes individuals and companies which can be useful for export control procedures. Also, there is information available online on nonproliferation export controls and fundamental weapons-related situations in states of concern. In addition, CISTEC offers the most up-to-date information of domestic and international export control regulations and systems, especially on major foreign countries.
Journals and other publications: CISTEC issues official bulletin, the CISTEC Journal, and resources to provide the information on changes in any export control - related regulations to businesses promptly. CISTEC aims to promote proper implementation of export controls for companies by the journals and other publications.

International cooperation on security export control

Holding Export Control Seminars for Asian Countries

To promote international security export control, it is necessary to understand of the importance of export controls and to cooperate closely with Asian countries and regions.
In particular, CISTEC supports the expansion of the export control system to prevent proliferant's procurement efforts in the states and regions of Asia by advocating Japanese perspective of the “Asian Export Controls Initiative.”
Thus, “Center for International Cooperation on Security Export Controls” in CISTEC offers the following seminars:

i. Asian Export Control Seminars in Japan
ii. Overseas Export Control Seminar
iii. Dispatching Export Control Specialists Overseas

Networking with Foreign Industrial Associations and Research Institutions

Through international exchanges with foreign trade associations and research institutions, CISTEC contributes the harmonization of international export controls and engages in a lively exchange of opinions regarding the security trade controls.

i. Global Networking with Associations, Research Institutions, and Businesses in the North America and Europe, etc. which focus on export controls
ii. Promotion of Global Networking at the industry level in Asian Countries and Regions

CISTEC Organizational Structure