"意見書「『人権尊重経営』の推進～『ビジネスと人権』に関する経団連の考え方と政府への期待」を公表," 16 September 2025

"Unofficial Japanese-to-English translation by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre"

On 16 September, Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation) released a position paper titled “Promoting Businesses that Respects Human Rights – Keidanren’s Views on ‘Business and Human Rights’ and Expectations for the Government.”

In line with the government’s forthcoming revision of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights, the paper outlines the basic approach companies should take when implementing human rights based management, and sets out Keidanren’s expectations for government initiatives to be reflected in the revised NAP...

To further advance business management that respects human rights, Keidanren identifies the following key areas requiring action by both companies and the government:

1. Enhancing support for human rights due diligence (DD)

In line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which call on companies to conduct human rights DD, business associations should take the lead in developing guidelines and best practices. The government is expected to update its own guidelines, establish consultation services, and strengthen capacity-building support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

2. Promoting information disclosure with consideration for corporate burden

Given the growing number of laws and regulations abroad that mandate human rights related disclosures, it is vital for the government to engage in policy dialogue with relevant actors to ensure consistency among disclosure standards, thereby preventing excessive burdens on companies.

3. Improving access to remedy

Companies should work to strengthen the effectiveness of grievance mechanisms and make use of external platforms where appropriate. The government is urged to provide more information on existing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures and related resources.

4. Promoting dialogue with diverse stakeholders

Companies should build on their experience engaging with stakeholders and develop these interactions into continuous, two-way dialogue that leads to genuine problem-solving. The government should encourage such meaningful engagement, for example, by compiling case studies and practical examples that facilitate constructive dialogue.

5. Advancing international harmonisation

In Europe, discussions are underway to simplify the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Keidanren calls on the Japanese government to urge the European Commission to ensure alignment within the EU and consistency with international standards.

6. Strengthening coordination among relevant ministries and agencies

In emerging fields such as “AI and human rights” and “environment and human rights”, it is essential that relevant ministries and agencies deepen their collaboration beyond their respective jurisdictions.

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