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Consumer Safety

From the Collection of Accident Information to Alerts

Collecting, analyzing and releasing accident information

Pursuant to the Consumer Safety Act, the Consumer Affairs Agency receives reports on consumer accidents from governmental bodies and other entities concerned, summarizes pieces of accident information and regularly releases such information on serious accidents among them.
The CAA also releases bulletins of its work of putting together, analyzing these pieces of information and provides them to local governments as well as reports such incidents to the Diet and the Consumer Commission.

Prompt action to raise consumer awareness

In order to prevent harm to consumers from occurring and spreading, the Consumer Affairs Agency works on raising consumer awareness to the accident information in consideration with the degree of seriousness and extensivity. The CAA also engages information exchange and discussion with relevant entities, including the Government ministries and agencies, local governments concerned, working to prevent harm from spreading.

Consumer Accident Information Databank

The Consumer Affairs Agency has developed and is operating the Consumer Accident Information Databank in collaboration with the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan in order that consumers can freely access, via the Internet, the information on consumer accidents held by entities concerned.

Gathering information of recalled products

The Consumer Affairs Agency operates the "Consumer Affairs Agency Recall Information Site" on recalled consumer products information for refunds, exchanges, checkup, repairs and other services. The products covered are including cars, housing equipment and household appliances to sports and leisure equipment, toys, commodity goods, cosmetics, and food. Such information is gathered by respective ministries, agencies and local governments according to the laws and regulations and by direct report from responsible business entities to the CAA.
This site also offers an e-mail broadcasting service on information about serious accidents from the recalled products as well as newly registered recall information. This service is available to all registered subscribers, who can also choose to receive specific information targeting "elderly consumer" or "children."

Product Safety Pledge

The Japanese Product Safety Pledge was first established in June 2023 by relevant ministries and agencies and major online marketplace (OM) operators based on the "Communiqué on Product Safety Pledges" published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). The Japanese Product Safety Pledge is a "public-private collaborative voluntary initiative" that goes beyond the legal framework of product safety, with the aim of further protecting consumers from risks to life and health posed by recalled or unsafe products listed or sold on OMs.

Raising consumer awareness

The Consumer Affairs Agency regularly delivers useful information for consumer safety, focusing on accident prevention through its e-mail newsletter delivery service "Minnano Shohi Anzen Navi (Consumer Safety Navigation for Everyone) from the Consumer Affairs Agency".
It is available on the Consumer Affairs Agency web site via PC or cell phone, and also posted on the official X (formerly "Twitter") account.
Note: "Child Safety E-mail Newsletter" has been renamed "Minnano Shohi Anzen Navi" as of April 2025.

The Consumer Affairs Agency issues alerts (press releases) to inform consumers of the risk of accidents and encourage them to take appropriate action.

Enhancing consumer correct understanding around radioactive substances in food

The nuclear power plant accidents that resulted from the Great East Japan Earthquake have caused considerable concerns about food safety among consumers, and the accidents have also given rise to harmful rumors of agricultural products from disaster areas. The Consumer Affairs Agency supplies accurate information to consumers through the leaflet "Food and Radioactivity Q&A" on its website and by other means, and also has held symposia regularly in various locations, where consumers can have opportunities to discuss the matter with experts. In addition, the CAA has conducted periodic surveys about consumer consciousness of radioactive substances in food, and the result of the survey indicates that the consumer feeling of hesitation regresses gradually.
On another front, the CAA rents out radioactive substance testing instruments to local governments in cooperation with the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan in order that residents are able to test, with their own hands, radioactive substances contained in food to ensure safety.

Food and Radioactivity Q&A in English

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