Japan proposes raising health-data linkage fee to ¥82 per 1,000 records
The health ministry wants to lift the charge for ID5 linkage information from ¥70 to ¥82 per block of up to 1,000 records from April 2027, citing higher system and staff costs.
Japan Policy and Regulation (Page 7)
New rules, public consultations, subsidies and regulator actions in Japan, in English.
FSB chair's G20 letter puts AI-related investment and stablecoin weak points on the agenda
The Financial Stability Board chair's letter to G20 finance leaders, relayed by Japan's FSA before the 15 October Bangkok meeting, covers AI-related investment, global stablecoin vulnerabilities and public liquidity backstops.
Japan's cabinet approves three oil-supply bills on waterways, insurance and JOGMEC
Japan's cabinet approved three bills on designated waterways, cargo and vessel insurance contracts and the JOGMEC law to make crude procurement more stable, while Minister Akazawa said October crude supply is expected to match last year's monthly average.
Japan adds a Mitsubishi UFJ-named bank to its My Number deposit-account list and drops a fishery cooperative
A joint ministerial notice applying from 13 October 2026 inserts a bank whose name begins Mitsubishi UFJ into the list of institutions under Japan's My Number deposit-account law, and deletes a fishery cooperative.
Japan moves to list all Boiga snakes as invasive, closing the door on new pet keeping
The Environment Ministry's draft order would add 32 Boiga species to Japan's invasive list; comments run to 11 November, and the ministry expects permit applications only for animals from earlier imports, exhibition and research.
IAIS chair says insurers' private credit exposure is still limited, but fast growth could raise the risk
Toshiyuki Miyoshi, who chairs the IAIS Executive Committee, writes that life insurers' alternative-asset and asset-intensive reinsurance exposures pose little near-term threat to global financial stability, and that the IAIS will review its core principles.
Regulators ask non-life insurers to end one-size-fits-all agency quality reviews
The FSA and transport ministry want insurers to drop uniform improvement deadlines that lack a reasonable basis and revisit terminations made without enough dialogue, citing risk to dealers and garages that sell compulsory auto cover.
FSA draft insurance rules tighten limits on corporate in-house agencies from 2030
Draft FSA guidelines would end a carve-out for older non-life agencies from April 2030 and widen the related-party test from April 2032, with an exemption for agencies whose commissions do not amount to a premium discount.
Recycling-plant grants: apply by 6 November, and hold off announcing the investment
Japan's second recycling-investment grant call closes at noon on 6 November, pays one-third of eligible costs (one-half for SMEs), and in principle excludes projects whose investment decision was announced before the grant decision.
Watchdog seeks ¥1.87mn penalty over pre-bid Nagatanien share purchases
A former Mitsubishi Corporation employee bought 2,000 Nagatanien Holdings shares in May 2024 while aware of a Marunouchi Capital tender-offer decision, and the SESC now recommends a ¥1.87mn surcharge.
Water-heater maker told to repay suppliers over note payments, fee deductions and mold storage
A Shizuoka water-heater maker paid 11 suppliers with notes rather than money by the due date, deducted bank fees from 71 and 85 suppliers under the two laws, and left mold storage costs unpaid; the watchdog wants repayment and 14.6% interest.
JFTC sends IP and data survey to 50,000 businesses, answers due November 5
Businesses that receive the JFTC's letter have until November 5 to answer a web survey on IP, know-how and data dealings, after which the regulator plans hearings, a published report and cautionary letters where it finds risky conduct.
JBIC triples its loan ceiling for Ohio gas-power vehicle to $1.98bn
JBIC has amended its loan to Japan Invest 3 LLC, raising the limit to about $1.976bn from about $630mn for the second investment in an Ohio gas-fired power project, within about $5.917bn of co-financing.
Tokyo court bars Singapore firm and its head from unregistered securities selling and fund management
A Tokyo court granted the SESC's petition as filed against GOO Property Singapore and its representative, barring unregistered solicitation and discretionary fund management in Japan.
Japan's antitrust watchdog enlists an anime series to teach firms the Freelance Act
The Japan Fair Trade Commission has set 8 October to 30 November as a Freelance Act publicity period, with a campaign site, ads and briefings meant to prevent violations by ordering businesses; internet ads run to February 2027.
NISA's installment slot now lists 372 eligible funds, with a Nasdaq-100 index fund added
The Financial Services Agency's refreshed list names 372 funds for NISA's installment-investment slot, and a footnote adds a Nasdaq-100 fund on 9 October; average trust fees sit below the legal caps.
Tax agency opens sixth sake subsidy round, with priority for projects answering rice costs or US tariffs
Projects answering US tariffs or sake-rice price rises, the latter only where a licensed maker takes part, get priority in the tax agency's sixth sake round; new-market grants of up to ¥5mn carry a payroll pledge and clawback.
JBIC and Turkey's Çalık Enerji sign annex to study financing for Japanese energy exports
Japan's public international lender has added an annex to its 2024 memorandum with the Turkish power contractor, under which the two will study financing structures for specific projects involving Japanese exporters.
Health ministry proposes pharmacist-guidance status for women's 5% minoxidil hair treatment
A health ministry draft would add a women's 5% minoxidil hair product, for users aged 20 and over, to the pharmacist-guidance-required drug list, with notification planned for April 2027 and comments due by November 6.
FSA panel to weigh lighter rules for lending to large companies and the capital floor for nonbank bonds
Papers for an October 9 FSA working group ask whether moneylenders serving only large companies should face lighter registration, renewal and paperwork rules, and whether the ¥1bn capital floor for nonbank bond issuers should stay.
Japan proposes pulling open-type containers into radioactive sea-freight rules from January 2027
A draft transport ministry order would require open-type containers carrying radioactive material to follow the same marking and loading limits as closed ones from 1 January 2027, with public comments due by 6 November.
Japan's antitrust regulator takes a mock on-site inspection to a Kumamoto high school
The Japan Fair Trade Commission will have 42 final-year students in Kumamoto play a market simulation game and a mock on-site inspection on 14 October, with media allowed in if they apply by noon on 13 October.
Japan will pay half the cost of remote shutoff systems for small gas utilities, up to ¥20mn
Small gas pipeline operators can claim half the cost of remote pressure-regulator monitoring, capped at ¥20mn a year, but only for contracts signed after approval; the first application window closes on 28 October.
Japan's child agency seeks comment on a play-based rewrite of nursery and kindergarten standards
A working-group draft would put kindergartens, nurseries and integrated centres on one table-format framework built around deeper play, with public comments due 5 November and no individual replies promised.