Officials voiced concern Friday over China's planned compulsory certification of information technology security products, which could allow Beijing to obtain intellectual property through its screening of foreign products.
The government is expected to take advantage of Prime Minister Taro Aso's talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao next week, as well as other opportunities to urge China to reconsider the new compulsory certification system.
"The system could have adverse effects on smooth trade relations between Japan and China, or China's industrial development," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said, adding China informed Japan of a plan to release details of the compulsory certification system for IT security products by May 1.
The system is expected to require exporters of telecommunications network fire walls and other software products to China to obtain product certification in the country.
The screening process will reportedly force software makers to reveal their products' source codes, which are essentially the blueprints to the product. Software makers fear this requirement could allow other software builders to steal industrial secrets and, in the worse-case scenario, allow hackers to penetrate their security shields.