Japan to Revise Corporate Human Rights Action Plan

Tokyo, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to revise its action plan for preventing human rights violations linked to corporate activities by the end of the year. A draft of the revised plan designates human rights due diligence procedures and the establishment of human rights-linked measures at small companies as “priority areas” for the first time. The government aims to accelerate efforts across entire supply chains by encouraging small businesses that have been slower than large corporations to adopt human rights measures to make improvements. The draft stipulates that the purpose of the action plan is to “ensure and improve the international competitiveness and sustainability of Japanese companies,” as well as to promote the protection of human rights in society as a whole. It focuses on creating effective systems for companies of all sizes, by sharing precedent cases and expanding consultation services. This emphasis reflects the fact that many large companies have drawn up human rights policies that outline their stances on respecting human rights during the current five-year action plan period through this year. The draft also highlights Japan’s continued efforts to protect the human rights of foreign workers, people with disabilities, children and the elderly, in addition to efforts to promote gender equality. In light of the rapid spread of generative artificial intelligence, the draft lists AI technology and human rights as a key topic, featuring a policy to work on creating international rules to prevent human rights violations, including privacy breaches and the spread of misinformation. The government drew up the five-year action plan in 2020 based on guiding principles created by the United Nations. The European Union is establishing laws requiring companies operating in the region to conduct human rights due diligence, under which companies assess their risks of human rights violations in order to prevent and mitigate such incidents, including those involving their business partners, and disclose related information. This has led to concerns that EU companies may suspend dealings with Japanese firms unless they take appropriate measures. Last month, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, called on the Japanese government to create a public-private initiative to support corporate measures on human rights. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]