On 29 March 2023, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and the Ministry of Environment (MOE) released the classification results for classifying substances under the UN Globally Harmonised System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals.

The list includes classification outcomes for substances that have been reclassified several times in prior years, and it covers 3,281 different substances. The justifications for each substance's classification are listed separately.

The outcomes can be used by businesses as a guide for creating GHS labels or safety data sheets (SDSs). However, according to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), it is not mandatory to provide the classification result on a label or SDS for Japan.

In May 2019, METI, MHLW and MOE jointly released the Japanese standards on chemical classification, labelling, and safety data sheets (SDSs) that are in line with the sixth revised version of the Globally Harmonised System (GHS). The standards are:

• JIS Z 7252: Classification of chemicals based on GHS 6 classifications and labelling
• JIS Z 7253: Hazard communication of chemicals based on GHS 6 labelling and SDSs

On 16 March 2023, Japan announced the inclusion of 1,469 substances to the list of chemicals for which companies are required to maintain safety data sheets (SDSs) and labels that comply with the UN's Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling (GHS) in accordance with the country's Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA).

There will be two phases of enforcement. The list of substances in Appendix 1 of the notice has a proposed enforcement date of April 2025, and the list of substances in Appendix 2 has a proposed enforcement date of April 2026; however, according to the WTO notice these dates are subject to change.

There are total 651 substances included in Appendix 1 examples are-

Appendix 2 consists of total 818 substances which includes-

In Japan, the GHS is implemented under three laws, which include the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHL), the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law, and the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act (PDSCL).

According to the MHLW, it will be necessary for companies to label containers or packages containing the chemicals with specific information, including the substance name, based on the sixth revised edition of the GHS.