Bribery & Corruption Laws And Regulations

Brief overview of the law and enforcement regime

Japan is widely perceived as one of the least corrupt countries in the world.  In 2020, Transparency International ranked Japan as the 19^th least corrupt country out of 180 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index.¹  The World Justice Project's 2021 Rule of Law Index ranked Japan as the 15^th least corrupt country out of 128 countries.²  The U.S. Department of State's 2021 Investment Climate Statements note that the direct exchange of cash for favours from government officials in Japan is "extremely rare".³

Despite the wide perception, corruption was an aspect of Japan's post-war economic boom.  Types of conduct prevalent during the second half of the 20^th century included: firms seeking to win lucrative public contracts through massive cash payments; firms offering insider stock information to win influence; and officials receiving lavish entertainment in exchange for favourable treatment.  Japan's