[Summary translation from Japanese to English provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"Business and human rights: Consultation held for the development of National Action Plan", June 2019

On June 6, 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan hosted [the event], “Consultation for the Development of NAP (National Action Plan…)”…[At the] consultation…the working group overseeing NAP…[explained] the process for creating the document in Japan. The consultation will lead to efforts toward identifying priorities that will be integrated into Japan's NAP.

…The content of Japan’s NAP will have far-reaching impact, affecting not only multinational corporations but also…Japanese companies…

…Relevant government agencies, stakeholder groups, experts, companies and industry associations (totaling approximately 15 companies and associations), and intergovernmental bodies participated in the consultation, with BSR attending as an observer.

…At the end of 2016, the Japanese government decided that its SDG Action Plan 2018 and Future Investment Strategy 2018 would be included in the development of NAP. In 2018, it conducted a baseline study as a first step towards creating NAP. This study…[identified] current initiatives and regulations on companies’ human rights activities…[As part of the study,] the government held 10 rounds of meetings to exchange ideas with stakeholders (such as economic experts, labour organizations, and civil society organizations)…

Public comments on the baseline study were collected until January 2019, with a total of 37 comments submitted. The content of the public comments mainly centred on the following topics: business and human rights in general; the adoption process for NAP; public procurement with a focus on business and human rights; human rights considerations in ODA [Official Development Assistance] and development financing; human rights considerations in investment agreements; supply chains; small and medium-sized enterprises; activities to promote corporate social responsibility, including human rights due diligence; access to remedy; equality under the law; privacy; rights of children; labour; and consumer [rights].

In the first half of 2019, the Japanese government will select priority areas that will be integrated into NAP. It will draft the NAP throughout late 2019 and plans to introduce the completed document to the public by mid-2020.