Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services
Japan's Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT, Act No. 57 of 1976, substantially amended 2021-2023) regulates commercial transactions including online digital services, subscription services, and in-app purchases. The 2021 amendments specifically addressed dark patterns in digital commerce, requiring clear pricing disclosure, prohibition on misleading final confirmation screens, and cooling-off rights for digital subscriptions. Enforced by the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA). Particularly relevant for gaming microtransactions and digital subscriptions.
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Framework Domains (15)
Chapter I - General Provisions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 1 | Open Finance Implementation |
| Art. 2 | Consent Definition |
| Art. 3 | Objectives of Open Finance |
| Art. 4 | Participating Institutions |
| Art. 5 | Prohibited AI Practices |
| Art.1 | Purpose of the Law |
| Art.2 | Scope |
| Art.3 | Definitions |
| Art.4 | Principles for Data Processing |
| Art.8 | Rights of Data Subjects |
| HUN-1 | Purpose and Scope |
| HUN-2 | Definitions |
| HUN-3 | Fundamental Rules |
| URY-1 | Fundamental Right (Article 1) |
| URY-2 | Scope and Definitions (Article 2-4) |
Chapter II, Section 3 - Mail Order Sales (Internet Transactions)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 11 | Technical Documentation |
| Art. 12 | Record-Keeping |
| Art. 12-2 | Prohibition of excessive email advertising |
| Art. 13 | Transparency and Provision of Information to Deployers |
| Art. 14 | Human Oversight |
| Art. 15 | Accuracy, Robustness and Cybersecurity |
| Art. 15-4 | Cooling-off period for internet sales |
Chapter IV - Provision of Specified Continuous Services
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 41 | Exemptions from Certain GDPR Provisions |
| Art. 42 | Processing for Archiving Purposes |
| Art. 48 | Criminal Penalties |
| Art. 49 | Collective Dispute Resolution |
Chapter V-2 - Right to Demand Injunction
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 58-4 | Injunction by qualified consumer organisations |
| Art. 58-5 | Scope of injunction demands |
| Art. 58-6 | Court proceedings for injunctions |
Chapter VII - Penal Provisions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 70 | Criminal Penalties for False Consent |
| Art. 71 | Criminal Penalties for Unlawful Processing |
| Art. 72 | Post-Market Monitoring by Providers and Post-Market Monitoring Plan for High-Risk AI Systems |
| Art. 74 | Minor infringements |
Disclosure
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-01 | Seller Identification Disclosure |
| JP-ASCT-02 | Pricing and Fee Transparency |
| JP-ASCT-06 | Cooling Off Period Disclosure |
| JP-ASCT-13 | Cross Border Sale Disclosures |
Governance
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-16 | Operator Internal Compliance Framework |
Marketing
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-07 | Advertising and Marketing Compliance |
| JP-ASCT-15 | Telemarketing and Cold Outreach Controls |
Notice
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-14 | Personal Information Use Notice |
Operations
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-09 | Consumer Complaint Channel |
| JP-ASCT-12 | Refunds and Chargebacks |
Platform
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-18 | Platform Operator Obligations |
Recordkeeping
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-08 | Electronic Mail Order Records |
Regulator Liaison
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-17 | Regulator Cooperation |
Subscription
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-03 | Subscription Cancellation Transparency |
| JP-ASCT-10 | Free Trial to Paid Conversion Notice |
| JP-ASCT-11 | Automatic Renewal Terms |
UX
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| JP-ASCT-04 | Final Order Confirmation Screen |
| JP-ASCT-05 | Prohibition of Dark Patterns |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services, you already cover:
NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0)
25%
13 controls mapped
Compare →NIST AI 600-1: Generative AI Profile
25%
13 controls mapped
Compare →Austria Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz, DSG, amended 2018)
25%
13 controls mapped
Compare →+ 386 more: ISO/IEC 27400:2022 (25%), Azerbaijan Law on Personal Data (2010) (25%)
See all 389 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 389 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services?
Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services is a compliance framework from Japan (CAA) with 15 domains and 51 controls. Japan's Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT, Act No. 57 of 1976, substantially amended 2021-2023) regulates commercial transactions including online digital services, subscription services, and in-app purchases. The 2021 amendments specifically addressed dark patterns in digital commerce, requiring clear pricing disclosure, prohibition on misleading final confirmation screens, and cooling-off rights for digital subscriptions. Enforced by the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA). Particularly relevant for gaming microtransactions and digital subscriptions. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services have?
Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services has 51 controls organised across 15 domains. The largest domains are Chapter I - General Provisions (15 controls), Chapter II, Section 3 - Mail Order Sales (Internet Transactions) (7 controls), Chapter IV - Provision of Specified Continuous Services (4 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services map to?
Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services maps to 389 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) (25% coverage), NIST AI 600-1: Generative AI Profile (25% coverage), Austria Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz, DSG, amended 2018) (25% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with Japan Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (ASCT) - Digital Services compliance?
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