The Programme is an initiative for supporting the establishment and modernization of Customs laboratories. The focus is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs Laboratories in the participants’ administrations. Following the one-week Workshop at the WCO, during which the participants will study WCO HS tools intended for Customs chemists, including the WCO Customs Laboratory Guide, the participants will travel to Japan for practical training for six weeks. The WCO Regional Customs Laboratory in Japan, which is a "WCO Regional Customs Laboratory" by virtue of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the WCO and Japan Customs in June 2014, will provide a course on chemical analysis methods that will focus on new technologies and techniques, as well as the use of sophisticated analytical equipment.