Japan
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| Japan | |
|---|---|
| 日本 (Nihon) | |
| |
| Tokyo, with Mount Fuji beyond | |
| Capital | Tokyo |
| Continent | Asia |
| Subregion | East Asia |
| Cannabis Status | |
| Legal Status | Illegal (medical and industrial use regulated) |
| Status Since | 2023 |
| Enforcement | Licensed cultivation for products, medicines and research; possession and use are criminal offences |
| Documentation | |
| Growing Regions | 1 |
| Growing Areas | 3 |
| Accessions | 51 |
| Conservation | |
| Populations | none documented yet |
Japan is a country in East Asia. Cannabis there has been regulated since 1948 by the Cannabis Control Act, Act No. 124 of 7 July 1948,[1] which an amendment of 2023 renamed the Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants.[2]
The amending law, Act No. 84 of 2023, came into force mainly on 12 December 2024, and the provisions that divided the cultivation licences took effect on 1 March 2025.[3] It made cannabis a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, whose prohibition and penalties for use now apply to it, and it allowed medicines made from the plant to be administered. It also set residual limits for tetrahydrocannabinol in products and divided the licences to grow the plant by purpose.[2]
The seed vendor ACE Seeds sells a reproduction of a hemp landrace from Hokkaido, the northern island, which the seller describes as the prefecture that has traditionally grown the most cannabis in Japan.[4]
Geography
Japan is an archipelago running north-east to south-west off the Asian mainland, from the subarctic to the subtropics.[citation needed] ACE Seeds reports that cannabis grows wild in Hokkaido and that the authorities eradicate it every year.[4]
Demographics
Agriculture
Cannabis in Japan
History
Four hemp fruits from a layer of the Initial Jōmon period at the Okinoshima site, on a small island in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, were dated directly by radiocarbon to 8955 ± 45 years before present, about 10,000 calibrated years before present.[5] The team that dated them called them "the oldest record of the fruits of Cannabis sativa in the world at this moment".[5] The team that identified them held that hemp was probably grown at the site, perhaps to make fishing gear.[6]
Cultivation
Cultivation has been a licensed activity since 1948. In the 1948 Act's 1999 text, cultivators licensed by prefectural governors grew cannabis for fibre or seed, and researchers were licensed to study the plant or to use it in research. No licence was granted to an addict of narcotics, cannabis or opium, to anyone sentenced to imprisonment or a heavier penalty, or to an adult ward, a person under curatorship or a minor.[1]
Since 1 March 2025 the Act has three licences.[3] A Type 1 cultivator, licensed by the prefectural governor, grows the plant for the raw materials of products made from it, such as products of the seed or the mature stalk, of kinds set by ministerial ordinance. A Type 2 cultivator, licensed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, grows it for the raw materials of medicines, and a research cultivator, also licensed by the Minister, grows it to study it.[7] The ordinance lists foods and drinks, cosmetics, building and other materials, articles consumed for pleasure (shikōhin), feed, fertiliser and fuel.[8]
A Type 1 cultivator must grow from the seed or other parts of plants whose delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol content does not exceed a standard set by Cabinet Order, and must stop growing any plant that comes to exceed it.[9] The Order sets the standard at 0.3 per cent of the plant's dry weight.[3] Processing the plant, extraction included, needs the Minister's permission for each half-year, except for some processing of the seed or the mature stalk.[9]
A Type 1 licence is refused to anyone whose licence was revoked less than three years before, a narcotics addict, anyone sentenced to imprisonment or a heavier penalty, a minor, a person whom a mental or physical disorder defined by ministerial ordinance prevents from doing the work, a member of an organised crime group or anyone who left one less than five years before, a corporation with such a person among its officers, and anyone whose business such members control. The Minister's two licences carry the same bars, except that the research licence omits the one on corporations. A Type 1 licence runs to the end of the second calendar year after the year it is granted, the Minister's licences to the end of the year of grant.[10]
A licensed grower may pass on seed that can still germinate only to another licensed grower or in the few other cases the ordinance allows; otherwise the seed must first be made unable to germinate, by heat or by fumigation. Importing seed that can germinate needs the Minister's permission, which only a licensed grower, or someone importing the seed to treat it, may receive.[11][8]
ACE Seeds calls its own stock a second-generation pure hemp landrace from Hokkaido.[4]
Preparations and consumption
Trade and commerce
Legal status
Cannabis is a narcotic under Japanese law. Possessing, transferring, importing, exporting or using it outside the licensed channels is a criminal offence, and growing the plant needs one of the three licences described under Cultivation.
Two statutes govern it. Act No. 84 of 2023, promulgated on 13 December 2023,[12] amended both the 1948 Act and the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, Act No. 14 of 1953.[2] Since 12 December 2024 the 1948 Act, under its new title, has dealt with growing the plant and handling its seed, and the rest of the regulation of cannabis has fallen under the Narcotics Act.[13] That Act's definition of a narcotic names cannabis alongside the substances in its first schedule. Some cannabis-derived constituents that can easily be converted chemically into a narcotic are also treated as narcotics,[2] except that the prohibition on use does not apply to them.[14] The amendment was the 1948 Act's first major revision since it was passed.[15]
In both Acts, cannabis is the plant, Cannabis sativa L., other than its seeds and mature stalks, together with its products. Products that no longer have the plant's form are excluded.[7][14] Extracts and processed products are therefore controlled through their tetrahydrocannabinol content: the Narcotics Act's first schedule lists delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol, with their salts, as narcotics. A product containing Δ9-THC that no longer has the plant's form is not a narcotic if its Δ9-THC does not exceed a quantity fixed by Cabinet Order and it contains no other narcotic. Seeds and mature stalks, and products that keep their form, are likewise excluded unless THC or another narcotic has been added to them.[16] The Cabinet Order fixes the quantity at 10 parts per million in oils that are liquid at room temperature and in powders, 0.1 parts per million in aqueous solutions, and 1 part per million in other products.[17]
The amendment deleted the 1948 Act's prohibition on administering and distributing medicines manufactured from cannabis, so that such medicines fall under the Narcotics Act's rules for narcotic medicines.[2] Under that Act only a licensed narcotics practitioner may administer a narcotic, hand one over for administration or prescribe one, and only to treat disease. A patient may use what such a practitioner supplies or prescribes, and a licensed narcotics researcher may use one in research; any other use is an offence.[18] Cannabis-derived products for medical use now fall under the same rules as opioid analgesics, so physicians can in theory prescribe them.[15]
Cannabis takes the penalties the Narcotics Act sets for narcotics other than diacetylmorphine (heroin). Possessing, transferring or receiving it without authority carries up to seven years' imprisonment; done for profit, it carries one to ten years, with an optional fine of up to 3 million yen. Using it unlawfully carries the same penalties. Importing, exporting or manufacturing it without authority carries one to ten years, and for profit a fixed term of at least one year, with an optional fine of up to 5 million yen.[19] Growing the plant without a licence carries the same terms under the 1948 Act, and a Type 1 cultivator who grows from seed or other material that exceeds the THC standard faces up to seven years.[20]
In the 1948 Act's 1999 text, the latest text the official English translation covers, unlicensed cultivation, import or export carried up to seven years' imprisonment, rising to ten for profit, and unauthorised possession or transfer up to five years, rising to seven for profit.[1] The amendment introduced penalties for use that the 1999 text did not have.[15]
Growing Regions
Landrace cannabis growing regions currently documented on the wiki:
| Region |
|---|
| Hokkaido |
Growing Areas
Landrace cannabis growing areas currently documented on the wiki:
| Growing Area | Has growing region |
|---|---|
| Iwashima | |
| Kinasa | |
| Tochigi |
Accessions
| Accession ID | Name | Collected | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACE-JPN-HOK-0120190001 | Hokkaido Japan Reproduction 2019 | ||
| Anon. 3189 (1885) | Herbarium specimen no. 3189, near Nanae, Hokkaido, Japan (1885) | ||
| Anon. s.n. (1907) | Yokohama Nursery Company herbarium specimen, Japan (1907) | ||
| Anon. s.n. (1911) | Herbarium specimen, Japan (1911) | ||
| Anon. s.n. (by 1859) | Japanese herbarium specimen from Heinrich Zollinger's herbarium (before 1859) | ||
| Anon. s.n. (s.d.) | Herbarium specimen from the herbarium of H. L. Jones, Japan (undated) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Imaichi (1901) | Makino Herbarium specimen 120388, Imaichi, Tochigi, Japan (1901) | Tochigi | |
| Anon. s.n., Kyoto (1905) | Herbarium specimen from the Shimadzu specimen department, Kyoto, Japan (1905) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Miura (1891) | Herbarium specimen of cultivated hemp, Miura, Japan (1891) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (1906) | Herbarium specimen, Tokyo, Japan (1906) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (1908) | Yokohama Nursery Company herbarium specimen of cultivated hemp, Tokyo, Japan (1908) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (1910) | Herbarium specimen, Tokyo, Japan (1910) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (1921) | Herbarium specimen, Tokyo, Japan (1921) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (1930) | Herbarium specimen of cultivated hemp from the Shimadzu specimen department, Tokyo, Japan (1930) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (s.d.), 02032350 | Herbarium specimen of cultivated hemp from the Sanseidō specimen department, Tokyo, Japan (undated) | ||
| Anon. s.n., Tokyo (s.d.), 2151C0001C02032370 | Herbarium specimen, Tokyo, Japan (undated) | ||
| Asai 8509 (1958) | Asai herbarium specimen, Nishihama, Katase, Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (1958) | ||
| Bürger s.n. (by 1858), L 0420296 | Bürger herbarium specimen L 0420296, Japan (before 1858) | ||
| Bürger s.n. (by 1858), L 0420304 | Bürger herbarium specimen L 0420304, Japan (before 1858) | ||
| Bürger s.n. (by 1858), L 0420305 | Bürger herbarium specimen L 0420305, Japan (before 1858) | ||
| EBC 43423 (by 1910) | Kew Economic Botany object 43423, hemp from Japan, given by the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 | ||
| EBC 43437 (by 1910) | Kew Economic Botany object 43437, hemp from Japan, given by the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 | ||
| EBC 43440 (by 1910) | Kew Economic Botany object 43440, hemp fibre from Japan, given by the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 | ||
| EBC 43456 (by 1910) | Kew Economic Botany object 43456, hemp from Japan, given by the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 | ||
| EBC 43462 (by 1910) | Kew Economic Botany object 43462, hemp fibre from Japan, given by the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910 | ||
| EBC 71837 (s.d.) | Kew Economic Botany object 71837, hemp fibre from Japan, given by Mr Oldham | ||
| Hosomi 1164 (1935) | Hosomi herbarium specimen, Isō station, Tamba, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (1935) | ||
| Keiske s.n. (s.d.) | Keiske herbarium specimen, Japan (undated) | ||
| Makino s.n., Mama (1923) | Makino herbarium specimen, Mama, Ichikawa, Japan (1923) | ||
| Makino s.n., Meguro (1922) | Makino herbarium specimen, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan (1922) | ||
| Makino s.n., Ōizumi (1942) | Makino herbarium specimen, Ōizumi, Tokyo, Japan (1942) | ||
| Maximowicz s.n., Yokohama (1862) | Maximowicz herbarium specimen, Yokohama, Japan (1862) | ||
| Mohnike s.n. (by 1887) | Mohnike herbarium specimen, Japan (before 1887) | ||
| NPG-JPN-GUN-0019100001 | Gunma General Population 1910 | ||
| NPG-JPN-MIY-0019300001 | Miyazaki Selection 1930 | ||
| NPG-JPN-TOC-0019150001 | Tochigi General Population 1915 | Tochigi | |
| NPG-JPN-TOC-0019160001 | Tochigi Hemp General Population 1916 | Tochigi | |
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010001 | Yokohama General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010002 | Shimonita General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010003 | Hiroshima General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010004 | Tochigi General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010005 | Aidzu General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019010006 | Iwate General Population 1901 | ||
| NPG-JPN-UNK-0019030001 | Aizu General Population 1903 | ||
| Pierot 482 (by 1841) | Pierot herbarium specimen, fields near Nagasaki and Kokura, Kyushu, Japan (before 1841) | ||
| Pierot 846 (by 1841) | Pierot herbarium specimen, foot of Mount Fuji, Honshu, Japan (before 1841) | ||
| Siebold s.n. (by 1866) | Siebold herbarium specimen, Japan (before 1866) | ||
| Siebold s.n. (by 1866), L 0420299 | Siebold herbarium specimen L 0420299, Japan (before 1866) | ||
| Siebold s.n. (by 1866), L 0420300 | Siebold herbarium specimen L 0420300, Japan (before 1866) | ||
| Siebold s.n. (by 1866), L 0421683 | Siebold fruit and seed collection lot L 0421683, Japan (before 1866) | ||
| Textor s.n. (by 1869) | Textor herbarium specimen, Japan (before 1869) |
Conservation status
Recent news
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Cannabis Control Act (Act No. 124 of 1948)". Japanese Law Translation. Ministry of Justice, Japan. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Outline of the Act Partially Amending the Cannabis Control Act and the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act". Japanese Law Translation. Ministry of Justice, Japan. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律施行令 (Order for Enforcement of the Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(政令 No. 282), 2024, art. 1 and supplementary provisions.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Hokkaido Japan". ACE Seeds. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kudo, Yuichiro; Kobayashi, Makiko; Momohara, Arata; Noshiro, Shuichi; Nakamura, Toshio; Okitsu, Susumu; Yanagisawa, Seiichi; Okamoto, Tozo (2009). 千葉県沖ノ島遺跡から出土した縄文時代早期のアサ果実の14C年代 [Radiocarbon dating of fossil hemp fruits in the earliest Jomon period excavated from the Okinoshima site, Chiba, Japan]. Japanese Journal of Historical Botany (in 日本語). 17 (1): 27–31. doi:10.34596/hisbot.17.1_27.
- ↑ Kobayashi, Makiko; Momohara, Arata; Okitsu, Susumu; Yanagisawa, Seiichi; Okamoto, Tozo (2008). 千葉県沖ノ島遺跡から出土した縄文時代早期のアサ果実 [Fossil hemp fruits in the earliest Jomon period from the Okinoshima site, Chiba Prefecture, Japan]. Japanese Journal of Historical Botany (in 日本語). 16 (1): 11–18. doi:10.34596/hisbot.16.1_11.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律 (Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(法律 No. 124), 1948, arts. 2 and 3.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律施行規則 (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(厚生労働省令 No. 140), 2024, arts. 1 and 10-2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律 (Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(法律 No. 124), 1948, arts. 12-3 and 12-4.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律 (Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(法律 No. 124), 1948, arts. 5, 8, 13 and 14.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律 (Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(法律 No. 124), 1948, arts. 18 and 19.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ "大麻取締法及び麻薬及び向精神薬取締法の一部を改正する法律案" [Bill partially amending the Cannabis Control Act and the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act] (in 日本語). House of Councillors. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ "大麻研究者が所持する大麻等の引継ぎについて" [On the handover of cannabis and related substances held by cannabis researchers] (PDF) (in 日本語). Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 麻薬及び向精神薬取締法 (Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act)(法律 No. 14), 1953, art. 2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Masataka, Yuji; Akahoshi, Yoshiyuki; Katayama, Munenori; Umemura, Futaba; Miki, Naoko; Nakazawa, Ryota; et al. (2026). "How Has Japan's Cannabis Control Act Been Amended?". Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. 11 (3): 284–292. doi:10.1089/can.2025.0006.
- ↑ 麻薬及び向精神薬取締法 (Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act)(法律 No. 14), 1953, Appended Table 1, items 42, 43 and 78.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 麻薬、麻薬原料植物、向精神薬及び麻薬向精神薬原料を指定する政令 (Cabinet Order designating narcotics, narcotic raw-material plants, psychotropics and narcotic and psychotropic raw materials)(政令 No. 238), 1990, art. 2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 麻薬及び向精神薬取締法 (Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act)(法律 No. 14), 1953, arts. 27 and 66-2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 麻薬及び向精神薬取締法 (Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act)(法律 No. 14), 1953, arts. 65, 66 and 66-2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- ↑ 大麻草の栽培の規制に関する法律 (Act on Regulation of Cultivation of Cannabis Plants)(法律 No. 124), 1948, arts. 24 and 24-2.Japan.Retrieved 16 October 2026.