Website accessibility law

Website accessibility law in Japan

Japan's Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities made reasonable accommodation a legal duty for private businesses from 1 April 2024. Improving accessibility in advance, such as on websites, remains a duty to make efforts.

Low to moderate exposure for private websites. Since April 2024 private businesses must provide reasonable accommodation on request. There is no fixed web standard in the Act.

Quick answers

Does website accessibility law apply to my business in Japan?
Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Act No. 65 of 2013, amended 2021) applies to: Public bodies and private businesses.
What accessibility standard must a website meet in Japan?
No standard in the Act; JIS X 8341-3 (aligned with WCAG) is the Japanese web reference.
How is website accessibility enforced in Japan?
Ministries can request reports and give guidance.
What are the penalties for an inaccessible website in Japan?
No fines for inaccessible websites in the Act.

The laws

Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities

Act No. 65 of 2013, amended 2021

Who is covered
Public bodies and private businesses.
Standard
No standard in the Act; JIS X 8341-3 (aligned with WCAG) is the Japanese web reference.
Enforcement
Ministries can request reports and give guidance.
What it can cost
No fines for inaccessible websites in the Act.
Key dates
Private-sector reasonable accommodation mandatory from 1 April 2024.
Impact on your website
Respond to individual requests for accessible alternatives.

What it means for your website

  • The duty is triggered by a request from a disabled person.

How Jralo helps in Japan

  • Daily checks against WCAG 2.2 A and AA with axe-core. Automated testing finds many, not all, problems.
  • A dated, independently timestamped record of what was checked and fixed, so you can show what you did and when.
  • Website Mechanic fixes problems in your code and opens a pull request for you to review.
Start free

Good to know

  • English sources are secondary; check the Cabinet Office guidance in Japanese.

Sources

  1. Cabinet Office, Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities

General information, checked 9 October 2026. Not legal advice. Laws, guidance and enforcement change; speak to a qualified lawyer about your situation.