Japan revised its customs notice for chemical imports on Oct. 2, 2026, ahead of bans on four chemical groups and products using them from Nov. 22, 2026.<\/p>\n
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on Oct. 2, 2026, revised its notice on customs clearance for chemical imports under the Chemical Substances Control Law, ahead of a ban on four groups of persistent chemicals and products that use them, which starts Nov. 22, 20261<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The notice sets out what importers must show at the border when they bring chemicals into Japan2<\/a><\/sup>. It follows a Cabinet order that adds long-chain PFCAs, related substances, chlorpyrifos and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins to Japan’s list of the most tightly controlled chemicals1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n In short, from Nov. 22, 2026, Japan will treat these four chemical groups as banned, and products such as lubricants, paints and some treated clothing that use them may not be imported. Shipments of chemicals will also need the right entries at customs to show that none of them is inside.<\/p>\n METI’s chemical safety office posted the revised notice on its page for the Chemical Substances Control Law, known in Japan as the Kashinho3<\/a><\/sup>. The notice covers customs clearance and related procedures for chemicals under the law3<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The revised notice is dated Oct. 2, 2026<\/strong> and is published as a PDF on METI’s import procedures page2<\/a><\/sup>. The page also offers three forms that go with it2<\/a><\/sup>. One covers new chemicals imported for testing and research or as laboratory reagents2<\/a><\/sup>. A second covers new chemicals imported under the small-quantity and low-volume routes2<\/a><\/sup>. A third is for foreign manufacturers2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n METI also publishes an English version of the customs notice on the same page2<\/a><\/sup>. The notice explains how the law’s rules are checked when a shipment is declared to Japan Customs4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The update follows a change to the law’s Enforcement Order, the Cabinet order that lists which chemicals and products the law controls1<\/a><\/sup>. The Cabinet approved that order on May 19, 2026, and METI announced it jointly with the health and environment ministries1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The order names four groups as Class I Specified Chemical Substances<\/strong>, the law’s strictest category1<\/a><\/sup>. These are chemicals that do not break down easily, build up in living things and harm people or top predators over the long term1<\/a><\/sup>. For this class, making and importing them needs permission and is in principle banned, their use is limited, and listed products that contain them may not be imported1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The four groups were added to Annex A of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants at its 12th meeting in April and May 20255<\/a><\/sup>. Annex A is the treaty’s list of chemicals to be eliminated5<\/a><\/sup>. Japan’s chemical review council then concluded in June 2025 that all four should become Class I substances5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The Cabinet order covers four groups1<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n METI’s council found no need for any exempt uses5<\/a><\/sup>. It concluded that making, importing and using these chemicals should be banned, except for testing and research5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The ban on use matters for factories as well as traders5<\/a><\/sup>. METI warned in February that making another chemical from one of these substances, or using one to make a product, may count as "use"5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Beyond the chemicals themselves, the order lists finished goods that may not be imported when they contain one of the new substances1<\/a><\/sup>. For chlorpyrifos, the order names insect-protection products for wood<\/strong>1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n For long-chain PFCAs, related substances and MCCPs, the order names "lubricating oil" and other products1<\/a><\/sup>. METI’s February notice set out the product list it proposed for each group5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n For MCCPs, the list covered5<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n For long-chain PFCAs and related substances, the list covered professional photographic film, lubricating oils, paints, water and oil repellents, adhesives and sealing fillers, and waxes5<\/a><\/sup>. It also covered fabric, clothing and floor coverings treated to repel water or oil5<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Fire extinguishers, extinguishing agents and fire-fighting foam that use long-chain PFCAs are handled differently1<\/a><\/sup>. For now, the order sets technical handling standards<\/strong> for them, rules the government sets on how they must be handled1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The Chemical Substances Control Law requires importers to complete steps before they bring in controlled chemicals or new chemicals4<\/a><\/sup>. Japan’s Customs Law then makes sure no such chemical enters without those steps4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n To check this, METI asks importers to give, for each ingredient, the official reference number published in the government gazette4<\/a><\/sup>. This includes impurities4<\/a><\/sup>. A chemical with no such Kashinho number counts as a new chemical, even if it has a CAS number, the international chemical identifier4<\/a><\/sup>. A new chemical needs review before it is imported4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Importers must look up these numbers themselves, for example in the NITE-CHRIP database run by the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation2<\/a><\/sup>. METI’s chemical safety office does not run a search service2<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The steps at the border work like this4<\/a><\/sup>:<\/p>\n The ingredient percentages do not need to be written at customs4<\/a><\/sup>. But importers must know them, because they report import volumes to the government each year4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n Impurities below 1% by weight<\/strong> normally need no prior step4<\/a><\/sup>. Class I substances are the exception: they may not be present even as an impurity below 1%4<\/a><\/sup>. A substance added on purpose is never treated as an impurity, whatever its share4<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\nWhat did METI change on Oct. 2?<\/h2>\n
Why is Japan updating the chemical customs notice?<\/h2>\n
Which chemicals become banned on Nov. 22?<\/h2>\n
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Which imported products will be blocked?<\/h2>\n
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How do customs checks on chemicals work?<\/h2>\n
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What about impurities and research samples?<\/h2>\n
Chemical import rules at Japanese customs<\/h4>\n