Japan
Is Hemp Legal in Japan?
Status
Restricted
Covers
Jurisdiction
Last updated
May 28, 2026
The short answer
Industrial hemp cultivation is legal in Japan under a restructured licensing system that took effect March 1, 2025. The renamed Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants replaced the old prefectural-only framework with three license categories: Type I for low-THC industrial hemp (cultivars at or below 0.3% THC, issued by prefectural governors), Type II for medicinal cannabis raw material regardless of THC content (issued by the MHLW), and a research license also issued by the MHLW.
Cultivators must maintain a minimum 100 square meter plot to discourage hobbyist growing. Type I sites need general anti-theft measures only; Type II sites face strict security and chain-of-custody requirements equivalent to narcotics handling. Permitted end uses for Type I include fiber, seeds, food, cosmetics, and CBD raw material, provided downstream products meet MHLW THC residue caps. Cultivation of high-THC cultivars outside a Type II or research license remains a serious narcotics offense.
Key facts ·
Japan
Key facts
Rules at a glance
THC limit
0.3% THC cap for Type I industrial hemp cultivars; ingredient-based residue caps apply to finished goods
Regulator
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
Key regulation
Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants (Revised Cannabis Control Act)
Effective
March 1, 2025
Adult-use cannabis
Illegal
Medical cannabis
Limited
For brands and importers
Import and export rules
Hemp seeds (sterilized), stalks, fiber, and seed-derived foods such as hemp oil and protein are importable without a narcotics permit, but shipments are inspected for THC contamination and viable seed. Live seed for cultivation requires prefectural Type I license documentation. Finished hemp-derived consumer goods must meet the same MHLW THC residue limits as CBD products. Flower and leaf imports are prohibited under all circumstances.
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