Product Liability Act (PL Act)

The Product Liability Act (known as the PL Act) is a law that holds manufacturers and sellers responsible when a defect in a product causes harm to a person's life or property. The Act was enacted to protect consumer safety and serves to shield consumers from harm caused by defective products. Specifically, it applies to products manufactured or sold on or after July 1, 1995 (Heisei 7). For products found to be faulty or defective, the manufacturer and others concerned bear liability for damages. Through this law, an environment has been established in which consumers can use products with confidence.