PSE Certification (Product Safety of Electrical Appliance & Materials) is Japan’s mandatory certification system for the safety of electrical products. It is designed to ensure that electrical products entering the Japanese market comply with safety standards, safeguarding consumers’ personal and property safety. Administered by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and implemented in accordance with the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (DENAN Act), PSE Certification is a prerequisite for electrical products to be legally sold in Japan.
Classification of PSE Certification
PSE Certification is divided into two core categories based on the safety risks of electrical products, each with distinct certification requirements and marking standards.
1. Specified Electrical Appliances (Diamond PSE Mark)
Products listed in the “Specified Electrical Appliances” catalogue are those with high safety risks. To enter the Japanese market, these products must pass type tests and factory inspections, obtain a certification certificate issued by a third-party certification body authorized by METI, and affix the diamond PSE mark on their nameplates.
This category can be likened to prescription drugs: due to high risks, they require professional diagnosis (certification) and a prescription (certificate) from authorized institutions, with strict supervision throughout the entire process.
Scope of Specified Electrical Appliances (116 product types in total):
Wire and cable, fuses, wiring accessories (electrical fittings, lighting appliances, etc.), current limiters, transformers, ballasts, electric heating appliances, electric power machinery (household appliances), electronic machinery (high-frequency hair removers), other AC electrical machinery (electric insect killers, DC power supplies), portable engines, and more.
2. Non-Specified Electrical Appliances (Circle PSE Mark)
Products in the “Non-Specified Electrical Appliances” catalogue have relatively low safety risks. For these products to enter the Japanese market, enterprises only need to complete self-testing and self-declaration to confirm compliance with Japan’s technical standards for electrical appliances, and affix the circle PSE mark on the nameplates.
This category is similar to over-the-counter drugs: with relatively low risks, users can judge and use them by following the instructions (technical standards), and enterprises must ensure product safety and quality at all times.
Scope of Non-Specified Electrical Appliances:
Simple wiring sleeves and junction boxes; simple single-phase motors operating at 100V-300V; household electric heating products; household electric or game products; civil and household products using light sources; household and commercial electronic products; other electrical products operating at 100V-300V, etc.
Validity Period of PSE Certification
The validity and maintenance requirements differ significantly between the two PSE certification categories, directly related to enterprise compliance management:
- Diamond PSE Certificate: Generally valid for 3 to 7 years (3 or 5 years being the most common). The certificate’s validity must be maintained through annual factory inspections; failure to pass the inspection will result in certificate invalidation.
- Circle PSE Certification: There is no official certificate or fixed validity period. However, enterprises are required to retain self-declaration of conformity and test reports for a long time, and continuously ensure that products comply with the latest national technical standards.
Official Inquiry Website
For the latest and most authoritative information on PSE Certification, including catalogue updates, certification rules and authorized institutions, please visit the official website of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry:https://www.meti.go.jp
