Japan adopts a soft law approach to AI governance but lawmakers advance proposal for a hard law approach to generative AI foundation models.
Laws/Regulations directly regulating AI (“AI Regulations”)
Japan currently...more
5/24/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Competition ,
Data Privacy ,
Japan ,
Machine Learning ,
Privacy Laws ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Technology Sector
On January 13, 2023, Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") proposed a draft of "Guidelines Concerning the Activities of Enterprises, etc. Toward the Realization of a Green Society under the Antimonopoly Act" ("Draft...more
On May 25, 2022, the Amended Code of Civil Procedure ("CCP") was enacted in Japan. It will introduce significant systemic changes to achieve full implementation of digitalized civil court procedures in Japan, which has been...more
JFTC’s policy to actively promote competition in response to social economics, such as digitalization: Coordinating and strengthening advocacy and enforcement -
On June 16, 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC")...more
On April 8, 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") published the Market Survey Report on Credit Card Transactions ("Report"). The JFTC conducted a survey on credit card transactions in order to ascertain disclosure of...more
On January 28, 2022, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") published a report "Understanding the reality of the public offering price setting process in the initial public offerings (IPOs)" ("Report"). The Report was...more
On December 27, 2021, the New Capitalism Headquarters at the Cabinet Secretariat of Japan, Consumer Affairs Agency ("CAA"), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare ("MHLW"), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI"),...more
On December 23, 2021, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") proposed a draft of Guidelines for Business Collaboration with Startups and Investment in Startups...more
1/10/2022
/ Appraisal Rights ,
Compensation ,
Competition ,
Disclosure ,
Draft Guidance ,
Investors ,
Japan ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
METI ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Public Comment ,
Startups ,
Third-Party ,
Trade Secrets ,
Trading Restrictions
Fumio Kishida was appointed Prime Minister of Japan on October 4, 2021, and the Kishida Administration was formed on the same day. They are aiming to the "New Capitalism" based on the concept of "a virtuous cycle of growth...more
There have been a number of developments in merger control in 2020 and Q1 2021. Some are related to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, while others are borne out of the ambitions and changes sought by individual...more
On March 29, 2021, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") issued Guidelines for Business Collaboration with Startups ("Guidelines") for the purpose of promoting open...more
The Competition Policy Research Center ("CPRC") of the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") is seeking comments from the public on a list of proposed issues to be discussed at the Study Group on Competition Policy for Data...more
On December 24, 2020, the Competition Policy Research Center ("CPRC") of the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") announced a list of proposed issues to be discussed at the Study Group on Competition Policy for Data Market...more
On December 22, 2020, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") proposed a draft of cabinet order ("Cabinet Order"), implementing regulations ("Implementing Regulations") and guidelines ("Guidelines")for the Act on...more
On December 23, 2020, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") proposed a draft of Guidelines for Business Collaboration with Startups ("Guidelines") for the purpose of...more
On December 9, 2020, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") brought criminal accusations with regard to bid-rigging involving pharmaceutical products ordered by the Japan Community Healthcare Organization ("JCHO"). Three...more
12/21/2020
/ Antitrust Investigations ,
Bid Rigging ,
Cartels ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Dawn Raids ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Indictments ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Public Prosecutors ,
Restraint of Trade
On November 2, 2020, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") proposed amendments to relevant rules ("Drafts") in accordance with the Government of Japan's "Regulatory Reform Implementation Plan" ("Government's Plan")...more
11/12/2020
/ Amended Rules ,
Digital Platforms ,
FinTech ,
Japan ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Mergers ,
Premerger Notifications ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Resale Price Maintenance (RPM)
During FY 2019, the Japan Fair Trade Commission ("JFTC") received 310 notifications, which is a 3.4 percent decrease from FY 2018. It provided clearance for 300 cases at Phase I review. Two cases were sent to Phase II review....more
Enterprises around the world are rapidly incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into existing and new products and processes. This effort is not just to improve such offerings and services, but to achieve a qualitatively...more
8/25/2020
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Board of Directors ,
Compliance ,
Emerging Technologies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Innovative Technology ,
Japan ,
Machine Learning ,
METI ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Robotics ,
White Papers
On June 29, 2020, the Japan Fair Trade Commission (“JFTC”) issued a draft of amendments to relevant cabinet orders and rules (“Drafts”) in accordance with the amendments to the Anti-Monopoly Act (“AMA”) previously passed in...more
On June 30, 2020, the JFTC published an interim report about market research on startup business practices (the "Report"). The JFTC will continue its research and will issue a final report. This is part of the effort by the...more
7/11/2020
/ Abuse of Power ,
Anti-Competitive ,
Anti-Monopoly ,
Bargaining Power ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Japan ,
Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) ,
Japan Patent Office ,
JPO ,
METI ,
Startups ,
Status Reports
The Digital Market Competition Council (the “Council”) published the “Interim Report on the Evaluation of Competition in the Digital Advertising Market” (the “Report”) on June 16, 2020. The Council is seeking comments from...more
On June 16, 2020, the Digital Market Competition Council published the “Report on the Medium-Term Vision on Competition in the Digital Market” (“Report.”) The Report discusses the current situation surrounding the digital...more
The JFTC published the “Interim Report Regarding Digital Advertising” (“Interim Report”) on April 28, 2020 based on the market research (“Research”) conducted by the JFTC. The Research was conducted in accordance with the...more
The JFTC published two reports ("Reports") including the "Report on Cashless Payment Services using QR Codes, etc." ("Cashless Payment Report" or "Report")1 and "Report on the Household Account Book Services, etc."...more