End User List updated on June 10

Japanese METI updated the End User List on their web site on June 10, 2008. The End User List is a list of organizaiton that may have relationships with WMD and/or missile activities. METI basically renew this list once a year. With this update, total entities listed are 223, increased from 207 last year. Total 38 entites are newly added, and 22 entities are deleted. New entities added are from Iran, North Korea, Syria, Chian, and Pakistan. (Actually, No Japanese entities in this list, so we call it, aka "Foreign User list".) Please find the list in below web site of METI.
http://www.meti.go.jp/policy/anpo/kanri/user-list/list.htm

I have many similar questions from my clients, "Is this list embargo list by Japanese government?" Actually, not. These entites listed are just "may have concern for WMD or proliferation". If the items are apparently used for a purpose other than WMD related activities, the export license is NOT required. Well, in real operational world, it is sometimes difficult to judge the end-user and end-purpose. In such a case, METI encourage business to contact their consultation desk. METI may advise license application is required or not.