Promulgation of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ordinance No. 72 to revise Ministerial Ordinances concerning seafarers following the amendment of the Labor Policy Act

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) promulgated MLIT Ordinance No. 72 in the Official Gazette dated August 25, 2026, which establishes the reorganization of ministerial ordinances related to seafarers accompanying the enforcement of the Act for Partial Amendment of the Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies and the Stability of Employment of Workers and the Enrichment of Their Occupational Lives, etc. (Act No. 63 of 2025). The ordinance will come into effect on October 1, 2026.

Background of the Amendment and Target Ordinances

This ordinance was enacted to align the seafarer-related ministerial ordinances under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism with the provisions of the new law following the enforcement of the amended Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies. The date of promulgation is August 25, 2026, and the signatory is Yasuyuki Kaneko, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

The primary target of the amendment is the Enforcement Regulation of the Act on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in the Field of Employment of Seafarers (Ministry of Transport Ordinance No. 1 of 1986). Cited articles regarding equal employment opportunities for men and women—such as welfare measures, measures that may effectively result in discrimination based on gender, and matters related to pregnancy and childbirth—will be read as the corresponding clauses of the new law.

Main Amendment Details

• Cited articles of the law are read as the amended versions (e.g., from “Article 31, Paragraph 1 of the Act” to “Article 37, Paragraph 1 of the Act”).
• The “Equal Opportunity Conciliation Council” is renamed the “Dominant Behavior Issue Conciliation Council.”
• The term “place of business” (jigyōba) is unified as “establishment” (jigyōsho).
• Provisions for the mutatis mutandis application of each article of the Enforcement Regulation of the Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Seafarer Labor Policies are reorganized.

Transitional Measures and Delegation of Authority

Transitional measures are provided in the ordinance; applications currently being processed using the pre-amendment forms at the time of enforcement will be deemed as applications made using the post-amendment forms. Additionally, forms of the old style existing at the time of enforcement may be used for the time being by making necessary corrections.

Furthermore, the authority of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism provided for in Article 42, Paragraph 1 and Article 45, Paragraph 1 of the Act, which are applied by reading them in accordance with the provisions of Article 47, Paragraph 2 of the Act, is delegated to the Director-General of the Regional Transport Bureau (including the Director of the Transport Administration Department). However, this does not preclude the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism from exercising said authority personally.

Impact on Businesses

This ordinance directly affects businesses operating in the field of employment and labor for seafarers. Because the names and articles regarding procedures and conciliation for equal employment opportunities for men and women are changing, businesses employing seafarers must update their application forms and internal regulations to align with the new law by the enforcement date of October 1, 2026.

Source: Official Gazette, August 25, 2026 (Extra Issue No. 113) “Ministerial Ordinance concerning the Adjustment of Ministerial Ordinances of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism accompanying the Enforcement of the Act for Partial Amendment of the Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies and the Stabilization of Employment of Workers and the Improvement of Their Occupational Lives, etc. (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ordinance No. 72)” — Document Reference 20260825g001890001.