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- Cabinet Decision on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances
Cabinet Decision on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances
May 19, 2026
Joint press release with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
On May 19, 2026, a Cabinet Decision was made on the Cabinet Order for the Partial Revision of the Order for Enforcement of the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances. The Cabinet Order designates long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (hereinafter referred to as LC-PFCA), their salts, LC-PFCA related compounds, Chlorpyrifos, and Chlorinated paraffins with carbon chain lengths in the range C14–17 and chlorination levels at or exceeding 45 per cent chlorine by weight (hereinafter referred to as MCCP) as Class I Specified Chemical Substances, and it makes necessary revisions to the Order for Enforcement.
1. Background to the revision of the Cabinet Order
At the Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants held from April to May 2025, LC-PFCA, their salts, LC-PFCA related compounds, Chlorpyrifos, and MCCP were decided to come under the scope of elimination. In response, the Chemical Substances Council1 held a meeting and reached the conclusion that it is appropriate to designate these chemical substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances2 under Article 2 (2) of the Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (Act No. 117 of 1973; hereafter referred to as the “CSCL”).
Accordingly, the Cabinet Order designates these chemical substances as Class I Specified Chemical Substances and makes the necessary revisions to the Order for Enforcement.
- Co-hosted with the Subcommittee on Chemical Substances, Committee on Safety of Chemical Substances, Pharmaceutical Affairs Council of MHLW, and the Subcommittee on Evaluation of Chemical Substances, Environmental Health Committee, Central Environment Council of MOE.
- Chemical substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and have long-term toxicity to humans or predatory animals at higher trophic levels. These substances are subject to permission requirements for both manufacturing and importing (in principle, prohibited), restrictions on use, or a prohibition on the import of Cabinet Order-designated products, among other regulations.
2. Summary of the Cabinet Order
(1) Designation of Class I Specified Chemical Substances
The Cabinet Order designates LC-PFCA, their salts, LC-PFCA related compounds, Chlorpyrifos, and MCCP as Class I Specified Chemical Substances under Article 2 (2) of the CSCL.
(2) Designation of products that businesses are not permitted to import, in which any of the Class I Specified Chemical Substances are used
The Cabinet Order is to designate lubricating oils as products that businesses are not permitted to import if such products contain LC-PFCA, their salts, LC-PFCA related compounds, or MCCP to be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances. The Cabinet Order is also to designate wood insecticides as the products that businesses are not permitted to import if such products contain Chlorpyrifos to be designated as Class I Specified Chemical Substances.
(3) Designation of products required to comply with technical standards regarding handling if a Class I Specified Chemical Substance is used
The Cabinet Order designates fire extinguishers, fire-extinguishing agents for fire extinguishers, and foam fire-extinguishing agents in which LC-PFCA, their salts, or LC-PFCA related compounds are used, for the time being, as products that are required to comply with government-prescribed technical standards for handling.
(4) Transitional measures
Other necessary transitional measures will be established.
3. Future schedule (tentative)
- Promulgation
- May 22, 2026
- Enforcement
- November 22, 2026 (to be enforced six months after promulgation) for the items set out in 2. (1) through (3) above
Note: 2. (4) The transitional measures and other related matters will enter into force as appropriate on the date of promulgation or six months after promulgation.
Related Materials (in Japanese)
- Bill of the Cabinet Order and explanation(PDF:69KB)
- Outline(PDF:102KB)
- Comparison of the prior and revised provisions(PDF:89KB)
Division in Charge
Chemical Safety Office, Chemical Management Policy Division, Industrial and Product Safety Policy Group
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