Business and human rights in Japan: An overview

Abstract

Business and human rights in Japan: An overview Professor Emi Sugawara from Osaka University of Economics and Law, Faculty of International Studies, walks us through the critical development of Japan’s policies concerning business and human rights. Recently, policy trends related to business and human rights have been characterised by their rapid and overwhelming nature. Since the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) was endorsed in 2011, 26 countries, including Japan, have formulated a national action plan on business and human rights (NAP). As national legislations have emerged to mandate human rights due diligence and information disclosure, the EU’s proposal on the Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence draws attention. The effective abolition of forced labour in global supply chains was also discussed at this year’s G7 summit hosted by Japan.(1) Additionally, the crackdown against the opposition to military rule in Myanmar, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and a just transition to climate change are also important issues in the context of business and human rights.