FY2018 Summary of Harmful and Hazardous Incident Data received through PIO-NET

This summary reflects "harmful/hazardous incident data"¹ collected by PIO-NET² in FY2018.

Details of the information will be described on the "Annual Report on Consumer Affairs 2019", which will be released on NCAC's website in October 2019.

1. ¹ "Harmful/hazardous incident data" combines data on products, services, or facilities involved in an incident of harm, i.e. bodily injury and/or sickness or other disease, etc. ("harmful incident data") and cases in which there was the potential for harm, even though no actual harm was suffered ("hazardous incident data"). The data was registered through the end of May 2019. Moreover, the data excludes inquiries referred from local consumer affairs centers, etc. to NCAC.
2. ² PIO-NET is a database that collects information on inquiries concerning consumer affairs by linking NCAC with local consumer affairs centers and similar organizations across Japan via an online network.

Trends and characteristics in FY2018

• There were 13,685 incidents reported as "harmful/hazardous incident data", a 6.1% decrease compared to the previous year.
• For "harmful incident data" as which 10,939 incidents were reported, the top three products/services were "cosmetics", "health foods" and "medical services". For "hazardous incident data" as which 2,746 incidents were reported, the top three products/services were "four-wheel automobiles", "prepared foods" and "telephone related equipment and tools".
• Regarding "harmful incident data", there was a decrease of 371 incidents from the previous year, affected by a decrease of 164 incidents in "beverages", a decrease of 71 incidents in "washing detergent" and other factors, while there was an increase of 235 incidents in "cosmetics" including those in "eyelash essence".
• Regarding "hazardous incident data", there was a decrease of 516 incidents from the previous year, affected by a decrease of 90 incidents in "four-wheeled automobiles" and a decrease of 74 incidents in "bicycles", while there was an increase of 12 incidents in "telephone-related equipment and tools".