Japan Implements Partial Amendment to PET Bottle Labeling Ordinance

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 Amending the Ordinance Specifying Standard Labeling Items for Polyethylene Terephthalate Containers Filled with Beverages or Certain Seasonings, pursuant to the Act on Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources. The amended Ordinance significantly relaxes the previous label‑free system, which had been limited to “case sales,” and effectively permits the omission of the “PET mark” on labels affixed to the sides of PET bottles intended for individual sales via vending machines.