Japan Legal Update

AMT is committed to delivering up-to-date insights on Japanese legal matters to our clients. Our Japan Legal Update provides comprehensive summaries of recent legislative changes, court precedents, and industry trends in Japan across various practice areas. For those seeking more in-depth information, we invite you to explore our newsletter

Japanese "DBS‑Style" Child‑Protection Regime: Certification Strategy and Practical Readiness Ahead of December 25, 2026

On June 19, 2024, Japan enacted the Act on Measures to Prevent Child‑Targeted Sexual Violence by School Operators and Private Education/Childcare Providers, commonly referred to as the "Japanese DBS Act" or the "Child Sexual Violence Prevention Act." The "DBS" shorthand is used to describe a Japan‑specific screening and safeguarding framework that is inspired by the United Kingdom’s Disclosure and Barring Service ("DBS") regime.

Cabinet Office Publishes "Basic Plan on Artificial Intelligence—Revitalizing Japan through 'Trustworthy AI'"

On December 23, 2025, Japan’s Cabinet Office issued its "Basic Plan on Artificial Intelligence—Revitalizing Japan through 'Trustworthy AI'" (the "Plan"). The Plan reflects the view that rapid advances—especially in generative AI—have made AI a foundational technology for sustainable development, improving efficiency and convenience, while enabling scientific discovery and enhancing human creativity. Because AI directly affects industrial competitiveness and national security, public and private sectors are intensifying their efforts. In Japan, however, adoption in everyday life and business remains limited, and delays in development and investment are becoming increasingly apparent. The Plan therefore emphasizes "trustworthy AI," seeks to make Japan the easiest place in the world to develop and deploy AI, and positions AI as a core component of both risk-management and growth-oriented investment.

The Working Group on Capital Market Regulations of Financial System Council’s Report — Insider Trading / Administrative Monetary Penalty System

The Working Group on Capital Market Regulations of Financial System Council (the “WG”) published, on December 26, 2025, its Market System Working Group Report , which summarizes the results of its deliberations.

Recent Joint Venture Practice – Forming a Joint Venture through a Company Split

As a recent trend in joint venture (JV) practice in Japan, it has become common to create a JV in a carve-out M&A transaction by carving out an existing business to a company and transferring the shares in the company to a JV partner. This article focuses on this structure, including from the perspective of a foreign JV partner.

Tokyo District Court’s New Framework for Global SEP Dispute Resolution

In January 2026, the Intellectual Property Divisions of the Tokyo District Court (TDC) published the "Procedural Protocols for Patent Infringement Litigation Involving Standard Essential Patents (SEPs)" (the "Protocols").

Outline of 2026 Tax Reform Plan

An outline of the 2026 Tax Reform Plan was approved by the Cabinet decision on December 24, 2025. We hereby provide a summary of significant amendments in the 2026 Tax Reform Plan which would affect especially foreign business.

Amendments to the PMD Act and Related Laws

On May 14, 2025, the Act Partially Amending the Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, etc. and Related Laws was enacted. The amended Act on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, etc. (the "amended PMD Act") and the amended Medical Care Act (the "amended Medical Care Act") are to be brought into force in stages, and part of the amendments has already come into effect as of November 20, 2025. The key points of the amendments are outlined below.