History of Legislation of the Product Liability Law in Japan: Major Issues Discussed in the Governmental Organization and the Diet

摘要

The bill of the Product Liability Law (PL Law) was presented to the Diet on April 12, 1994 (presented to the Cabinet as Bill No. 53. The bill was co-administered by the Ministry of Justice, the Economic Planning Agency, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction, of which the Economic Planning Agency played a managing part). The bill was passed in unison in the House of Representatives on June 16, just as drafted in the original draft. It was then passed in the House of Councilors on 22nd again with no change to the draft, resulting in legislation of the Product Liability Law (which was promulgated on July 1st as Law No. 85, 1994). It has been in force since July 1st, 1995 (Appendix 1).