The Japan Fair Trade Commission has designated 8 October to 30 November 2026 as an intensified publicity period for the Freelance Act, the law on fair dealing with freelancers that took effect on 1 November 2024. The campaign has three stated aims: to raise awareness and understanding of the law, to prevent violations by ordering businesses, and to publicise the window where suspected violations can be reported.
An anime tie-up and a campaign site
The commission is partnering with an anime series it describes as highly popular and with a long record of collaborations with government bodies. The release gives no English title for the series. A dedicated site on the commission's own website will carry an explainer film, a breakdown of obligations and prohibited acts by stage of the transaction, downloadable materials, a violation checker and an understanding quiz. The release gives no opening date for the site.
Where the ads will run
The release gives planned dates for each advertising channel. Internet ads are scheduled to run until 28 February 2027, beyond the end of the publicity period, while the radio and convenience-store placements fall in November.
| Channel | Planned dates | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign site | No opening date given | Explainer film, obligations and prohibited acts by transaction flow, downloads, violation check, quiz |
| Internet ads | 14 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 | Video ads on YouTube; banner ads on Google, Yahoo!JAPAN, LINE and others |
| Radio | 9 to 13 November 2026 | Audio spot on TOKYO FM "ONE MORNING" |
| Convenience stores | 10 to 16 November 2026 | Site logo mark on checkout screens and in-store audio ads |
The commission will also hold briefings for ordering businesses and for freelancers themselves. They cover only the parts of the Freelance Act that relate to fair dealing in transactions. Venues are listed on a separate guidance page.
What it means for ordering businesses
The release is an awareness drive, not an enforcement action, and it announces no new rules or penalties. For companies that commission work from freelancers, its practical message is that the regulator is putting the law, and its channel for reporting suspected breaches, in front of both sides of the transaction. The release gives no campaign budget and no figures on reports or violations to date. Questions go to the commission's Freelance Transaction Optimization Office.