FY2025 Consumer Consultation Report
Overview
The Consumer Consultation Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry compiled a report on trends and characteristics in consumer consultations received in fiscal 2025. It received 7,220 consultations, up 2.8% from the previous fiscal year. Of these, 4,878 concerned the Specified Commercial Transactions Act, accounting for nearly 70% of the total. Telephone and door-to-door sales accounted for 957 consultations, while specified continuous service provision accounted for 732; both increased from the previous fiscal year. The report is presented as a resource to help prevent and resolve contract disputes in consumer transactions.
Key points
- There were 7,220 consultations in fiscal 2025, up 2.8% from the previous fiscal year.
- There were 4,878 consultations concerning the Specified Commercial Transactions Act, nearly 70% of all consultations.
- Telephone and door-to-door sales accounted for 957 consultations, up 10.4% from the previous fiscal year.
- Specified continuous service provision accounted for 732 consultations, up 19.8% from the previous fiscal year.
Overview
The Consumer Consultation Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry receives consultations and complaints from consumers and local consumer affairs centers about laws, goods, and services under the Ministry's jurisdiction, and provides advice and information.
The office compiled trends and characteristics of consultations received in fiscal 2025 as the “FY2025 Consumer Consultation Report.”
Impact
The report is intended to help prevent and resolve contract disputes in consumer transactions.
Details
Among consultations concerning the Specified Commercial Transactions Act, telephone and door-to-door sales accounted for 957, up 90 from 867 in the previous fiscal year. After a temporary decline in fiscal 2022, the number has continued to trend upward in recent years. By category, “other services,” including consulting, increased by 103 from the previous fiscal year. “Cooling-off related” consultations were the most common, at 447, accounting for about half of the total.
Consultations about specified continuous service provision increased by more than 100 from 611 in the previous fiscal year. They were concentrated in “education and esthetics,” with 638 consultations (87.2%). “Cooling-off related” consultations (266) and cancellations (278) together accounted for 75% of the total.