Looks like their local resale possibilities are about to get the rug yanked out from underneath them... but sales for export are still going to be exempt. Hopefully this means a bunch of the slightly old equipment - boost controllers, AFC computers, this kind of thing - will drop in price in the North American market.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/22/japan-bans-old-electronics-as-of-april-1/
http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/22/japan-bans-old-electronics-as-of-april-1/