Japan's Ministries Seek Comments on Revised Disclosure System for New Chemical Substances

On 11 March, 2026 Jointly Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) of Japan. Specific contacts: 1. Chemical Substances Safety Measures Room, Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency, Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau, MHLW. 2. Chemical Substances Safety Office, Chemical Substances Management Division, Industrial Safety and Security Group, METI. 3. Chemical Substances Safety Division, Chemical Substances Review Room, Environmental Health Department, Minister's Secretariat, MOE. Key details: 1. Category: Environmental conservation. 2. Underlying legal provision: Article 4, Paragraph 5 of the Act on the Examination and Regulation of Chemical Substances (CSCL), which requires public disclosure of names of new chemical substances after notification and review (to promote transparency while protecting trade secrets in certain cases). 3. Opinion reception period: From March 11, 2026, April 10, 2026, 23:59 (one month). 4. Purpose of amendment: To introduce a differentiated period before name disclosure (e.g., varying timelines based on substance type or review outcomes) and to allow publication via the METI website as an official method, improving efficiency and accessibility of disclosures.