News Details

On 18 March 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment (MoE) jointly published a draft on hazard reporting of existing chemicals under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL). The draft was published on Japan’s e-GOV Public Comment Portal. 

Background 

Under Article 41 of the CSCL, manufacturers and importers are required to report to the authorities whenever new hazard information on chemical substances, including data on persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity becomes available. This obligation ensures that the government is kept informed of any potential risks associated with chemicals already in circulation, enabling it to take appropriate regulatory action to protect human health and the environment. 

Key Insights from the Amendment 

The draft indicates the following key changes: 

• A key update is the introduction of electronic reporting via the e-Gov platform, replacing the previous paper-based system. Reporting formats will also be revised to clearly define the required information. 

• The amendments clarify that monitoring chemical substances do not require persistence and bioaccumulation data to be reported, as these properties are already known. 

• For Class II Specified Chemical Substances, the reporting requirements are clarified, including the submission of persistence-related data. 

Obligations for Stakeholders 

Manufacturers and importers must report new hazard information and adapt to electronic submissions via the e-Gov platform. They should follow the updated reporting formats and ensure that their internal compliance systems are aligned with the revised requirements. 

Comment Period and Enforcement Dates 

Interested stakeholders may submit comments until 16 April 2026. The final order is expected to be promulgated following the consultation period with implementation planned for May 2026.