JapanFramework of EHS laws and regulations in Japan.
| Category | Theme |
|---|---|
| Overall | Japan, Organizations with Governing Environmental Regulations |
| Chemical |
|
| Waste | Waste management |
| Others |
Japan
On August 21, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) released the Guidelines for Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources, which compile nationwide trends …
Japan
On September 1, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); Ministry of the Environment (MOE); and other relevant ministries jointly launched …
Japan
On August 20, 2026, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency released the Environmental Label Fact‑Finding Report, which examines how businesses use environmental claims from the perspective of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums …
Japan
On July 31, 2026, Japan promulgated the Act Partially Amending the Act on the Improvement of Energy Consumption Performance of Buildings (the amended Building Energy Efficiency Act). The amended Act …
Japan
On August 7, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) published “the Green Bond Guidelines and Sustainability‑Linked Bond Guidelines (2026 Edition)” and “the Green Loan and Sustainability‑Linked Loan Guidelines (2026 …
Japan
On July 30, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Finance (MOF), and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) promulgated and enforced the Ordinance Partially …
Japan
On July 24, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry(METI), Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare(MHLW), and Ministry of the Environment(MOE) jointly deliberated revisions to the screening evaluation associated …
Japan
On July 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released a revised edition of the Guidelines for Green Purchasing Initiatives for Local Governments and newly issued the Guidelines for …
Japan
On July 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment released the Guidelines for Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), aimed at addressing social challenges by leveraging natural capital. Japan has already committed to …
Japan
On July 15, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment released the Guidelines for Nature-Positive Practices in Procurement during a side event at the Global Nature Positive Summit 2026. The guidelines …
Japan
On March 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released the Action Plan for Building a Recycled‑Plastic Market for Automobiles. The plan aims to support Japan’s transition toward a …
Japan
On June 15, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) launched a public consultation on the Draft Guidelines for Nature‑Positive—a document intended to guide businesses in conducting procurement that takes …
Japan
On June 22, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy (MOE) and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) jointly promulgated, via the Official Gazette,
Japan
On June 12, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); Ministry of Economy (MOE), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); and other relevant ministries jointly promulgated the …
Japan
On May 29, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); Ministry of Economy (MOE), Trade and Industry; and Ministry of the Environment (METI) jointly promulgated and enforced partial …
Japan
On May 7, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) announced that the chair of the Central Environment Council had submitted to the MOE an advisory report titled “Approach on …
Japan
On June 1, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly launched a public consultation …
Japan
In Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW); and the Ministry of the Environment (MoE) promulgated “the Cabinet Order Partially …
Japan’s New Action Plan for Biodiversity Recovery Through Proper Chemical Management
Japan
On March 30, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released “the Action Plan for Chemical Management to Promote Nature Positive, Ver. 1.0”. In recent years, biodiversity loss, climate change, …
Japan
On March 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released a revised edition of the “Environmental Labeling Guidelines”, which organize the appropriate approach to providing environmental information for businesses …
Japan
On March 30, 2026, the Japanese government published the various coefficients required to calculate the mandatory recycling volume stipulated under the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling …
Japan
On April 24, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly released the …
Japan
On April 17, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly promulgated the “Ordinance Specifying …
Japan
On March 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) uploaded an Excel file titled “List of Substances Subject to Risk Assessment (Cutoff Values List)” under “List of …
Japan
On March 31, 2026, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly released the …
Japan
On March 11, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly released a …
Japan
On March 18, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly opened a public consultation …
Japan
On March 11, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly promulgated a partial amendment …
Japan
On March 31, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly issued a new “Notice …
Japan
On March 20, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly opened a public comment …
Japan
On December 25, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare issued a partial revision to the notification titled “Precautions Concerning Labelling, etc., on Containers and Packaging of Poisonous or …
Japan
On February 19, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Ministry of the Environment jointly released proposed partial revisions to the following …
Japan
On February 2, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and other relevant ministries announced their intention to designate three groups of substances: chlorpyrifos; medium‑chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs); and …
Japan
On January 21, 2026, Japan released a draft ministerial ordinance specifying the individual “perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)‑related substances” that will be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the …
Japan
On December 17, 2025, in Japan, o a Cabinet Order partially amending the Enforcement Order of the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc. …
Japan
On December 9, 2025, in Japan, the Subcommittee on the Emissions Trading Scheme under the Industrial Structure Council—an advisory body supervised by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry—published a …
Japan
On October 28, 2025, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in Japan published a flowchart summarizing how the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) applies to the handling of …
Japan
An EnviX researcher attended the environmental seminar titled “Efforts Toward Establishing a Growth-Oriented Resource-Autonomous Economy,” held on August 28, 2025. The seminar was presented by Tokifusa Okada, Assistant Director of …
Japan
On July 22, 2025, Japan held a joint council meeting among the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry …
Japan
On July 24, 2025, Japan released design certification standards for the following four categories of plastic-containing products: Beverage PET bottles Stationery Household cosmetic containers (shampoo, hair rinse, body soap, hand …
Japan
On July 22, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) released a document titled “Regarding Export Regulations for Products Such as Electronic Devices Containing Dechlorane Plus”.
Japan
On June 30, 2025, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency issued Cabinet Office Notification No. 105 of 2025 to amend the Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc. (Ministry of Health and Welfare …
Japan
On June 20, 2025, Japan held a joint meeting of three ministries—the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry …
Japan
On June 30, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment promulgated two ministerial ordinances to strengthen the regulation of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), organofluorine compounds found in drinking …
Japan
On April 28, 2025, Japan released its National Implementation Plan for the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC): Creating a World Free from Harmful Effects of Chemicals and Waste. This plan …
Japan
On April 18, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) held a joint meeting, and …
Japan
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has developed and published a new implementation manual for the comprehensive biodegradability assessment method known as Weight of Evidence under the Chemical …
Japan
On April 15, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Regeneration and Resource Circulation Bureau, issued a notification to prefectural waste management authorities regarding the Guidelines and Measures for the …
Japan
On April 15, 2025, Japan announced a revision to the Industrial Safety and Health Regulations through a ministerial ordinance. This revision adds a new provision, Article 612-2: Tasks with a …
Japan
On March 28, 2025, the Central Environmental Council submitted its recommendations to the Minister of the Environment regarding the establishment of a recycling system for solar power equipment. These recommendations …
Japan
On April 1, 2025, Japan issued a public notice designating three substances as priority assessment chemical substances under the Chemical Substances Control Law. The newly designated substances are: – Copper(I) …
Japan
On January 17, 2025, the Cabinet of Japan approved the Cabinet Order Partially Amending the Order for Enforcement of the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures. The main amendments …
Japan
on March 31, 2025, Japan issued an amended public notice revising the designation of general chemical substances exempt from manufacturing quantity reporting under the Chemical Substances Control Law. This amendment …
Japan
On March 31, 2025, Japan published the “Action Plan for the Development of a Recycled Plastics Market for Automobiles,” compiled by the industry-government-academia consortium. This plan aims to increase the …
Japan
On February 19, 2025, Japan promulgated a cabinet order, a ministerial order, and a public notification that partially amend the Order for Enforcement of the Industrial Safety and Health Act …
Japan
On March 3, 2025, Japan promulgated an order partially amending the Order on Reporting of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Greenhouse Gas Emissions. At the same time, two public notifications were issued …
Japan
On February 18, 2025, the Cabinet of Japan approved the Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures. This plan outlines measures and policies to achieve Japan’s new NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution), which …
Japan
On January 27, 2025, Japan’s Labor Policy Council reported to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (hereinafter “MHLW”) that the “Outline of the Bill to Partially Amend the Industrial …
Japan
On February 18, 2025, the Japanese Cabinet approved the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan. This Strategic Plan was formulated in a manner consistent with the 73% greenhouse gas emission reduction target …
Japan
On February 18, 2025, Japan unveiled a draft of the Domestic Implementation Plan for the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), aiming for a world free from the harmful effects of …
Japan
On January 18, 2025, the Japanese Cabinet approved the GX 2040 Vision: Revision of the Strategy for Promoting Transition to a Decarbonized Growth-Oriented Economic Structure, heading towards the Green Transformation …
Japan
On February 4, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (MOE) announced the Carbon Footprint Display Guide. Detailed information regarding carbon footprint (CFP), including specific calculation methods, has already been published …
Japan
On December 27, 2024, the Japanese Cabinet promulgated the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Enforcement Order of the Act on Preventing Mercury Pollution of the Environment. In …
Japan
On January 17, 2025, the Labor Policy Council of Japan announced that it proposed the Future Measures for Occupational Safety and Health to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. …
Japan
On November 29, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (hereinafter ‘MIC’) promulgated the Ministerial Order Partially Amending Regulations Governing Hazardous Materials (MIC Order No. 103 of 2024). Under …
Japan
On December 12, 2024, Circular Notice No. 1212-2 issued by the Director of the Labor Standards Office announced that a total of 17 chemical substances, as listed in its Annex, …
Japan
On November 15, 2024, the Japanese Cabinet promulgated the Ministerial Order Specifying Chemical Substances Pursuant to Article 1, Paragraph 1, Item 35 (c) of the Order for Enforcement of the …
Japan
On December 24, 2024, Japan held an expert meeting to discuss provisional target values for PFOS and PFOA levels in tap water, as well as provisional guidelines for public water …
Japan
The Cabinet of Japan decided the Cabinet Order on Designation of UV-328, methoxychlor, and decolane plus as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under the Act on the Evaluation of Chemical …
Japan
On Sept. 27, 2024, the Green x Digital Consortium published the Guidelines for Transport CO2 Visualization (Version 1.0). The consortium is a Japanese association of businesses and organizations, including major …
Japan
On Nov. 7, 2024, the Japanese government published a draft cabinet order amending the enforcement order for the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) to designate UV-328, methoxychlor and Dechlorane Plus …
Japan
On Oct. 17, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment held the first meeting to discuss the greenhouse gas emissions assessment, reporting and publication scheme of Japan (the “SHK scheme”). The …
Japan
On Sept. 13, 2024, a committee of the Central Environment Council and a working group of the Industrial Structure Council of Japan held the first of a series of meetings …
Japan
On Sept. 20, 2024, committees from Japan’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Council, Chemical Substances Council and Central Environment Council held a joint meeting to deliberate the results of risk assessments on N,N-dimethylformamide …
Japan
On Sept. 20, 2024, Japan’s Central Environment Council, an advisory body to the government, submitted to the Environment Minister its third and fourth reports on how to regulate perfluorohexanesulfonic acid …
Japan
On Aug. 22, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment released the third edition of its guidelines for the recycling of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The new edition has been developed by …
Japan
On Sept. 24, 2024, the Japanese Cabinet adopted a cabinet order amending the enforcement order for the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL) to designate poly(oxyethylene) nonylphenyl ether (NPE) as a …
Japan
On Sept. 9, 2024, the Japanese government published a draft ministerial order that specifies controlled chemicals in accordance with Article 1, paragraph (1), item (xxxv), (c) of the Order for …
Japan
On March 28, 2022, a joint meeting was held on Fluorocarbon Countermeasures of the Industrial Structure Council and the Central Environment Council. In 2013, the “Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Act” …
Japan
On October 22, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry（METI） released the Sixth Strategic Energy Plan. This Plan is the basic guideline for the government’s medium- to long-term policy …
Japan
On October 15, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment noticed that the Cabinet approved “Cabinet Order for Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on Confirmation, etc. …
Japan
On October 7, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) published a public notice on the revision of environmental standards pertaining to water pollution in public water bodies and groundwater …
Japan
On September 24, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan promulgated the above ministerial ordinance. The ordinance will be enforced from October 1, 2021. This revision is to establish …
Japan
On September 24, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan promulgated a ministerial ordinance to revise effluent standard. The ordinance will be enforced from December 11, 2021. This revision …
Japan
On August 25, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) released the interim report for the “study group on ideal economic and other approaches for achieving worldwide carbon …
Japan, Waste management
Japan
The framework for waste regulation in Japan consists of the “Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society”, which sets forth the basic principles and concepts for the formation of …
Japan’s “PRTR Act”
Japan
Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (Japan’s “PRTR Act”) http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?vm=04&re=01&id=101 The Act on Confirmation, …
Japan
On August 23, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) published a report of “energy conservation measures in housing and buildings for a decarbonized society”. The main …
Japan
On August 23, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) of Japan held a meeting of the Subcommittee on Plastic Resource Circulation (a committee established under the Working Group for …
Japan
On July 21, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) released the Sixth Strategic Energy Plan (Draft). This plan is the basic guideline for the government’s medium- to …
Overview of Japanese legal system
Japan
What are laws, cabinet orders, ministerial orders, public notifications, and circular notices? How they differ and relate? For many people, even for Japanese people, it will probably be difficult to …
Japan
On July 7, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) began soliciting public comments on the new addition of PFOA used in specific products to the scope of regulation under …
Japan
On June 28, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) released an interim report on the state of regulations for fuel cell vehicles (FCV). In the report, current …
Japan
On May 18, 2021, an order was promulgated to partially amend the Ordinance of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) requiring products that may contain asbestos to certify …
Japan, Organizations with Governing Environmental Regulations
Japan
The following is a list of representative organizations that are in charge of environmental regulations in Japan. Cabinet Ministry of the Environment, MOE Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, METI …
Japan
On June 15, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE) formulated the “Decarbonization Infrastructure Initiative” to further promote the overseas expansion of environmental infrastructure through the Joint Credit …
Japan, Overview of Chemical Substances Control Act (CSCA)
Japan
In 1973, the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (hereinafter “the Act” or “CSCA”) was established in Japan to prevent damages to human health caused …
Chemical Registration in Japan
Japan
Japan, EHS laws & regulations framework
Japan
Japan
On June 8, 2021, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) released the Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society, and Biodiversity for 2021, with the theme of redesigning …
China (1,153)
South Korea (353)
*Taiwan (259) Japan (114)
*Hong Kong (27)
Vietnam (389)
Thailand (243)
Philippines (182)
Singapore (152)
Malaysia (143)
Indonesia (131)
Laos (15)
Brunei (8)
Myanmar (8)
Cambodia (2)
Saudi Arabia (6)
Oman (2)
Australia (79)
New Zealand (29)
