International Trade Law in Japan

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Overview of Japanese International Trade Law

Japan’s international trade law framework is built upon a complex interplay of domestic statutes, multilateral treaty obligations, and a rapidly expanding network of bilateral and regional trade agreements. The principal legislative instruments are the Customs Tariff Act (Kanzei Ho, Act No. 54 of 1910, frequently amended), the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Gaikoku Kawase oyobi Gaikoku Boeki Ho, Act No. 228 of 1949; “FEFTA”), the Export Trade Control Order (Yushutsu Boeki Kanri Rei, Cabinet Order No. 378 of 1949), and the Import Trade Control Order (Yunyu Boeki Kanri Rei, Cabinet Order No. 414 of 1949). Japan’s trade policy has undergone a fundamental reorientation since the 2000s: from a near-exclusive reliance on the multilateral rules-based system of the GATT/World Trade Organization (WTO) to an aggressive pursuit of free trade agreements (FTAs) and economic partnership agreements (EPAs). This shift reflects both the stagnation of the Doha Round and Japan’s strategic need to secure preferential market access for its export-oriented manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

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International Trade Law in Japan

Overview of Japanese International Trade Law