Ten major topics for 2024 related to consumer affairs
Every year, NCAC publishes "ten major topics related to consumer affairs" of the year chosen out of the cases that drew significant public attention and/or showed typical trends.
The year 2024 has been marked by: unscrupulous sales after natural disasters (e.g. earthquake in January and heavy rain in September in the Noto Peninsula), health damage caused by red yeast rice supplement, an increase of inquiries received by the Cross-border Consumer center Japan and the Consumer Hotline for Tourists, technical support scams, door-to-door purchase with quasi-crimes, etc.
Ten major topics for 2024 related to consumer affairs
- A series of natural disasters such as earthquake in the Noto Peninsula and heavy rains, followed by unscrupulous sales
- Spread of health damage caused by red yeast rice supplement -- report of health damage cases to national and local governments mandated
- Surge of inquiries received by the Cross-border Consumer center and the Consumer Hotline for Tourists, along with an increase of inbound tourists to Japan
- More and more young consumers are charged hefty fees for pest control services and road services
- Numerous elderly people are still victimized by technical support scams
- Increase of complaints about fraudulent side job offers (e.g. "You can easily make money in your spare time.")
- Persisting problems caused by door-to-door purchase, some of which include quasi-crimes
- The four product safety Acts (e.g. the Consumer Product Safety Act) revised to ensure safety of products directly imported from abroad and to prevent children from being injured when using childhood products
- Regulation on stealth marketing -- a series of administrative orders
- Judgment by the Supreme Court for the first time as a result of action for collective redress for property damage incurred by consumers
