Customer harassment, labour law and more: rule changes Japanese businesses face in late 2026
Tribeck has published a guide to the legal changes companies in Japan need to prepare for in the second half of 2026, including measures against customer harassment, sexual harassment of job applicants, revisions to the Whistleblower Protection Act and a major overhaul of the Labour Standards Act, with expected timing and which teams are affected. Customer-facing shops, restaurants and salons are directly concerned.
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Summaries are written by Seiichi Studio based on the original releases. Always check the source for the exact details.
According to JETRO, Thailand's FDA says a new notification on packaged-food labelling will soon be published in the Royal Gazette and take effect the next day. It adds sesame to the allergen list and names specific tree nuts, drops the country-of-manufacture requirement for export-only food, and sets conditions for optional digital labels. Products labelled under the current Notification No. 450 may be sold for two years after it takes effect.
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The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries instructed Tsurihachi Co., Ltd. to correct its labelling after it listed only “UK” as the origin of mackerel in a salted mackerel product for business use, when the fish came from Norway and the UK. The company must also find the cause and prevent a recurrence.
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JETRO reports that Thailand's FDA has opened public comment, until November 13, 2026, on revising Notification No. 386 on fresh vegetables and fruit. The rule now covers 48 designated items such as strawberries and apples; the proposal would cover all fresh produce and require manufacturers, importers and sellers to meet its GMP standards. It would take effect one year after publication.
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Japan's agriculture ministry (MAFF) reports that Indonesia has pushed back mandatory halal certification for imported food and beverages from October 18, 2026 to October 18, 2028, after companies and industry groups said they needed more time. The requirement has not been scrapped, so exporters are still expected to prepare.
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On 20 October 2026 the Consumer Affairs Agency issued a cease-and-desist order to giobai Co., Ltd. over its advertising for the FLEURISTE aroma product and cartridges, finding misleading claims of superiority and a breach of Japan’s stealth-marketing rules under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations.
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