Clifford Chance

Time for Japan to Take a Tougher Stance on Foreign Bribery

21 October 2019

In June 2019, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery in International Transactions criticised Japan's efforts to combat bribery of foreign public officials (Report). In short, the OECD "remains concerned" that Japan is not doing enough to crack down on foreign bribery. The OECD identified a "major loophole" and "legislative defects" in Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Law (UCPL), calling on Japan to take "urgent" action. Japan will be in the spotlight for the 2020 Olympics and this Report may be just the encouragement it needs to take a tougher stance on foreign bribery.

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