Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has classified 200 substances under Category 1 for carcinogenicity. The announcement was made on 26 December 2022, under an amendment to the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA).
Companies handling these compounds are required to adhere to ISHA regulations, which include maintaining records of the safety precautions implemented as a consequence of risk assessment and the level of worker exposure for 30 years.
The mandatory requirement will be implemented in two phases.
Phase 1:
Enforcement will begin on 1 April 2023 for 120 substances which include:
Phase 2:
Enforcement will begin on 1 April 2024 for the remaining 80 substance which include-