News Details

On 25 September 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published a list of 160 new chemical substances added under the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHL). The updated list was made available through the MHLW’s Workplace Safety Portal and includes the chemical names of the newly published substances, along with structural information where available. 

Previous Update in June 2026 

Earlier on 26 June 2026, the MHLW added 169 new chemical substances to the ISHL inventory. More details can be found here. 

Key Insights from the September 2026 Update 

• The September 2026 publication includes individual chemicals, polymers, reaction products, mixes, and other chemically defined substances..  

• The MHLW database provides further details, including the ISHL serial number, the formal chemical name, the structural classification, and, where available, the CAS number.  

The publication allows businesses to confirm whether a substance has been publicly listed under ISHL via the publicly accessible chemical substance information database. The Ministry publishes updates to this list several times a year, and the total number of substances made public under ISHL now stands at 73,536.  

Obligations for the Stakeholders 

Manufacturers and importers can use the published inventory information to determine whether a substance is still subject to the new chemical notification requirements once it is publicly listed under ISHL. Listing does not, however, eliminate other relevant workplace chemical management requirements. Businesses that handle listed substances must maintain compliance with all applicable regulations, including those relating to workplace risk management, labelling, the provision of SDS, and hazard communication, where these requirements apply. 

Depending on the circumstances and quantities manufactured or imported, substances that are not yet listed in the ISHL inventory may remain subject to the relevant new chemical notification processes.