Japan Publishes 2027 Notification Schedule for Specific New Chemical Substances
Reference source : Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Portal - Japan
On 16 October 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 the FY2027 application schedules for Small Quantity and Low Production Volume New Chemical Substances under the Chemical Substances Control Law (CSCL). Ministries published both the schedules on the METI portal.
Scope of Application Schedules
The notification requirement applies to the following categories of specific new chemicals, whether they are manufactured or imported:
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Low-volume new chemical substances - Detailed application schedule can be found here
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Small quantities of new chemical substances - Detailed application schedule can be found here
Submission Methods
Notification must be submitted by any one of the following methods:
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Electronic submission (via the e-GOV Online Application System)
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Optical disc submission (by physical mail to METI)
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Paper submission (by physical mail to METI)
Electronic submissions necessitate a G-Biz ID Prime or Member account. The former applicant code system is no longer in use.
Key points to note
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Candidates are required to utilize application software Version 7.03. Electronic applications need to be submitted one to two days prior to the deadline.
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Manufacture or importation typically can start only upon receiving confirmation. Applicants in the first round cannot start before 1 April 2027.
Annual Updates of the Notification Schedule
Every October, the ministries jointly revise the application schedule to ensure year in October, the ministries jointly revise the application schedule to ensure that companies can prepare in advance for CSCL submissions.
In the previous year, METI released the 2026 notification schedule for specific new chemicals on 17 October 2025. More information can be found here.
The publication date for the 2028 application schedule has not yet been announced; however, it is expected to follow the same pattern, likely in October 2028.