hredd.org / Timelines / METI Guidelines
Verified 18 September 2026 · updated monthly
Japan METI Guidelines on Human Rights Due Diligence (Japan) is currently voluntary. Every date below is verified against primary sources, with tracker revisions logged openly at the foot of the page.
Japan adopted its National Action Plan on business and human rights.
METI published the due diligence guidelines.
Public procurement linkage introduced and binding options studied.
Government published the revised National Action Plan, making human rights due diligence and support for small and medium enterprises priority areas.
Implementation of the revised National Action Plan began.
The Japan METI Guidelines on Human Rights Due Diligence currently has no fixed statutory application date, so no compliance deadline can be stated with confidence yet.
As of 18 September 2026, the Japan METI Guidelines on Human Rights Due Diligence is voluntary in Japan. Japan’s voluntary due diligence guidelines, increasingly hard-edged through procurement and buyer cascades.
Added the revised National Action Plan published in December 2025 and in effect from April 2026. That revision was logged in September 2026 on the hredd.org tracker.
Tracker revisions, logged openly
September 2026 Added the revised National Action Plan published in December 2025 and in effect from April 2026.
February 2026 Study group progress and procurement linkage developments recorded.
Sources for every date live on the full tracker entry · movement lands in the monthly digest first