FY2018 Summary of inquiries about cross-border consumer disputes received by Cross-border Consumer Center Japan (CCJ)

This summary reflects inquiries about cross-border consumer disputes received by Cross-border Consumer Center Japan (CCJ) in the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (NCAC). 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.

Trends and characteristics in FY2018

• CCJ received 6,257 inquiries about cross-border consumer disputes in FY2018, over 1.5 times of that in FY2017.
• The breakdown of inquiries by generation showed the percentage of inquiries from consumers aged 60 or older increased from 11% in FY2017 to 19% in FY2018.
• Almost all of the inquiries (98%) were about trouble over "online shopping". "Credit card payment" accounted for about 80% of all the payment methods.
• The breakdown of inquiries by type of trouble showed that inquiries related to "trouble over cancellation" accounted for 50% of the total, a twofold increase in number from FY2017. The second most common type was those related to "trouble over fraud or counterfeit products" (14%).
• The breakdown of inquiries by product/service category showed that inquiries about software accounted for 26% of the total, a threefold increase in number from FY2017. Inquiries about "clothes", "footwear" and "small articles like bags", which are often subjected to fraud or counterfeiting, accounted for 23% of the total.
• The most common home country of businesses related to the inquiries was the US (22%), followed by China (9%), and Switzerland (7%).