Japan: Bill amending Act on Measures against Infringement of Rights through the Distribution of Information by Specified Telecommunications including content moderation regulation was adopted by House of Councillors

On 10 May 2024, the Bill amending the Act on Measures against Infringement of Rights through the Distribution of Information by Specified Telecommunications was adopted by the House of Councillors. The Bill changed the Law’s title from the Act on the Limitation of Liability for Damages of Specified Telecommunications Service Providers and the Right to Demand Disclosure of Identification Information of the Sender. The amendment introduces binding obligations for large-scale telecommunications service providers to prevent the transmission of content that infringes individual rights, such as defamatory, privacy-invasive, or otherwise harmful material. The Law applies to platforms that exceed user thresholds defined by ordinance and that are designated as “large-scale specified telecommunications service providers” by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. These providers must publish standardised procedures for receiving claims from affected parties, investigate claims within a set timeframe, and block access to infringing content where justified. They are also required to notify content senders and publish annual transparency reports outlining the types and volume of content blocked. The Law authorises the Ministry to collect reports, issue recommendations, and impose binding orders for non-compliance. Violations are subject to administrative fines of up to JPY 1 million for individuals and JPY 100 million for corporations.