Japan amends ISHA list, adds 171 New Chemicals to the Inventory

On 27 March 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) released a list of 171 new chemicals under the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA).   

The same day, an official ISHA Notice was published and the MHLW's Workplace Safety Portal was updated with information about the new chemicals. The portal includes official gazette serial numbers, chemical names, and structural formulas. The list of new chemical substances can be found here.  

Previous Update in December 2025     

Earlier, on 26 December 2025, the MHLW added 167 new chemical substances to the ENCS. More information can be found here.    

Obligations for Stakeholders     

Once listed, manufacturers and importers are no longer required to notify MHLW prior to manufacturing or importing these substances. The substances are included in MHLW’s publicly accessible database of chemical substances under ISHA, which serves as a key reference for identifying substances subject to workplace chemical management requirements. 

The ministry publishes updates to this list several times a year and the total number of substances made public under ISHA now stands at 73,207.   

Companies handling these substances must continue to comply with applicable obligations, including hazard communication, such as the provision of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), appropriate labelling, and the implementation of risk management measures to protect workers.