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Quality Systems Registration Scheme in Japan

Dissemination of the ISO 9000 Series and Establishment of an Accreditation Body

The long and short of it is that up to this point ISO 9000 is not as a standard accepted. The following is true as far as it goes, but implies the standard is a driving force. The driving force is for comparable requirements, however if you are doing business with Toyota, et al, you will find only company specific requirements. The auto industry on an international level has neither embraced ISO 9000 nor QS 9000., nor has the commercial nor consumer fields. Typically, QS 9000 is specific to the 'Big 3' auto makers while ISO 9000 is embraced by European and U.S. manufacturers (and other businesses) in general. The Pacific Rim has been working on it's own set of documents.

International Developments

The ISO 9000 Series, a set of international quality system standards, was established by International for Standardization (ISO) in 1987 and has since then spread around the world (in Japan it was incorporated into the JIS system in October 1991). "Quality System Registration Scheme" utilizing the series of standards is rapidly becoming established in many countries, thus constituting a common set of international criteria for assessing quality system. There is also a growing number of reciprocal recognition of standards between countries under this system.

This system also calls for the establishment of a single authorizing body in each country in order to give credibility to the results of registration and encourage reciprocal recognition of standards on a global scale. Virtually all the developed nations have already established such a body.

Establishment of "Quality System Registration Scheme" in Japan

The Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC) submitted in June 1992 to the Government a proposal on introduction of the assessment and registration scheme on quality management and assurance (QMA) system in Japan and published the JIS Z 9900 series standards based on the ISO 9000 series standards in October 1991.

This proposal included recommendations on a basic scheme for the QMA system, a basic structure of an accreditation body, criteria for quality system (QS) registration bodies, criteria for QS auditors and a basic concept for mutual recognition with accreditation bodies abroad.

In view of the above recommendation, The Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) set up a Working Group, in July 1992, comprising more than thirty members, representing various industrial group, within its Committee on Industrial Technology and started the discussion on establishment of the accreditation body.

Based on the Keidanren's conclusion, the Japan Accreditation Board for Quality System Registration was established on 1 November 1993 as a non-governmental, non-profit marking foundation with the funds of many industrial sectors with governmental authorization by the Ministers of Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Transport.

3. Work of the JAB
(The Japan Accreditation Board for Quality System Registration)

The term of office of JAB is as follows:

980726

In an article for the ISO 9000 News (Nov./Dec. 1996), Chikafumi Morita, member or the Board of Directors of Japan Quality Assurance Organization, traced growth of ISO 9000 adoption in Japan from 1991 to 1995. By this time 1600 Japanese companies were certified. He wrote "the initial motive compelling Japanese companies to implement the standard was the need to increase their business in Europe".

Then he goes on "nevertheless, more and more companies began to obtain ISO 9000 certificates as word spread from those already certified that it actually strengthened their quality control systems. In fact, the International Standards have also been adopted by companies not participating in overseas markets". He adds "They now see ISO 9000 as a means of achieving domestic goals such as improving their quality systems and upgrading product quality".

In referring to the Japanese experience of companies opening operations overseas, he states "given the importance of quality control systems in determining the success or failure of such companies, those Japanese factories that rely on conventions and informal procedures, instead of a standardized quality control system, tend to suffer from quality problems". He adds, "it is likely that when the ISO 9000 series standards have become a part of the fundamentals of quality control here in Japan, such companies will have no trouble transferring their quality systems to overseas locations".

Under the subtitle of "Japanese-style TQC AND ISO 9000", he writes "during the rebuilding period, we developed and implemented various QC methods known as the "Seven Tools for Quality Control", the "Experimental Design Methods", and so on. These methods enjoyed spectacular success-and none more so than total Quality Control (TQC). This "Internal" approach enables each company to perform quality control in its own way, although customers often have little idea what sort of QC techniques are being used, nor how they operate. In short, QC can be defined as a tool for the benefit of the company, and not necessarily the customer".

He concludes this portion of his article by saying "in contrast, ISO 9000 permits objective assessments of a company's quality system based on International Standards. As such, ISO 9000 can be seen as a tool for the benefit of a company's customers. Yet the two systems, TQC and ISO 9000, complement each other, and a company can establish a powerful quality system by combining the two".

I have picked pieces of the article, but anyone interested in more information on this subject can contact Mr. Chikafumi Morita at Japan Quality Assurance Organization(JQA), Akasaka Twin Tower 4F, 17-22-2-chome, Akasaka, Minato-ku. Tokio 107, Japan. Tel. + 81 3 35 84 91 23. Fax + 81 3 32 24 90 02.


This page last reviewed or edited: Sun, 2007-02-04 17:01 (Coordinated Universal Time [ZULU] -5 hours)


   

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