ジョーンズ・デイ・ニュースレター：Japan Legal Update - July 2016

Merger Control Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Japan, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

Digital platforms are under ever-increasing regulation across the globe, with Japan being among the latest countries to pass new legislation concerning their operations. On May 27, 2020...

Dominance Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Japan, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) recently published a report titled "Survey on Corporate Compliance Efforts with the Antimonopoly Act (Summary)".

A bill to amend Japan’s Anti Monopoly Act, which had been long pending at the Japanese Diet, was finally passed on April 20, 2005. The amendments significantly expand the antitrust investigation and enforcement authority of the Fair Trade Commission of Japan ("JFTC") by effecting four significant changes in Japanese competition law:

This article provides a comprehensive overview of cartel regulation in Japan, including the 2019 amendment to the Anti-Monopoly Act.

On January 1, 2010, amendments to the Japanese Anti-Monopoly Act (the "AMA") that substantially revise Japan’s pre-merger notification system came into effect.

On May 28, 2016, the Japan Fair Trade Commission announced that it had concluded its draft of the partial amendments to the "Guidelines Concerning Distribution Systems and Business Practices Under the Antimonopoly Act".

Japan, the world's biggest buyer of liquefied natural gas ("LNG"), is currently investigating the potential anticompetitive effects of territorial restrictions in LNG supply contracts.

The Code is voluntary, but it will likely become an important reference point for demonstrating compliance with Article 50 of the AI Act.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction against Perplexity AI, determining that when an AI agent acts at a user's direction, it is the user—not the AI company—who "accesses" computer systems under federal and California computer fraud statutes. This landmark appellate decision addresses how existing computer-access laws apply to agentic artificial intelligence and has significant implications...

The European Commission has proposed replacing the EU's three core procurement directives with a single, directly applicable Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how companies compete for public contracts across Member States. The reform introduces mandatory quality criteria thresholds, embeds ESG considerations as evaluation factors, and establishes new security and European-preference provisions that could restrict participation based on ownership, supply chain exposure, and strategic dependencies.

A federal court has struck down New York's Climate Change Superfund Act, which sought to recover $75 billion from fossil fuel companies based on historical emissions. The ruling found the Act preempted by the Clean Air Act, marking the first judicial decision on state climate superfund legislation and establishing that EPA's rescission of the endangerment finding does not alter preemption analysis.

The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against 20 EU Member States for failing to transpose the EmpCo Directive by the March 27, 2026 deadline. This directive aims to combat greenwashing by requiring substantiation of environmental claims and third-party certification for sustainability labels, with full implementation expected by September 27, 2026.

Mexico's comprehensive anti-money laundering framework has undergone a sweeping transformation through Acuerdo 115/2026, introducing mandatory risk-based methodologies, enhanced client due diligence protocols, and automated monitoring requirements. With implementation deadlines beginning March 1, 2027, obligated parties conducting vulnerable activities face compressed timelines to overhaul their compliance infrastructure while navigating heightened enforcement risks and stricter beneficial ownership thresho

On December 3, a federal court in the Central District of California granted plaintiffs' request for preliminary approval of a proposed $22 million settlement ...

The European Commission has adopted final Guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 TFEU, introducing a "workable effects approach" that narrows presumptions while expanding guidance on objective justifications and recognizing sustainability benefits as valid efficiencies for the first time. These Guidelines replace the 2008 Enforcement Priorities Guidance and are expected to significantly impact enforcement practices across EU Member States and beyond, particularly for digital market

The IRS has proposed new regulations that would impose nondiscrimination requirements on private schools seeking to maintain their tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3). These regulations would prohibit policies discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in admissions, financial assistance, and other school programs. The proposed rules raise important questions about how private schools can structure their programs while complying with federal tax law requirements.

On July 16, plaintiffs in a putative class action filed a motion for preliminary approval of their settlement agreement with a video game ...