Testimony as Expert Witness at House of Representatives — Toward the First Amendment to the Cannabis Control Act in 75 Years
On November 10, 2023, at the 3rd meeting of the Health, Labour and Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives (212th Diet session), our CEO Ryota Nakazawa provided testimony as an expert witness for the review of the "Bill to Partially Amend the Cannabis Control Act and the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Act."
This bill represents the first fundamental revision of the Cannabis Control Act in 75 years since its enactment in 1948, marking a historic turning point for the CBD/hemp industry.
■ Expert Witnesses Invited (5 persons)
- Prof. Tatsuya Ota (Keio University Faculty of Law)
- Dr. Sakuji Kobayashi (Vice Director, Kanagawa Prefectural Psychiatric Medical Center)
- Ryota Nakazawa (CEO, Asabis Inc.)
- Yuji Tasho (Executive Director, Japan Epilepsy Association)
- Noriko Tanaka (Representative Director, ARTS)
■ Summary of Testimony
As the operator of Japan's largest CBD community "CBDBU" and organizer of major industry events, Nakazawa presented testimony from the perspective of CBD/hemp industry practitioners on the following points:
- Current state and market trends of the CBD/hemp industry
- Expected impact of legal reform on the industry
- Potential for industry development through appropriate regulatory frameworks
- Importance of consumer protection and quality management
The amended law was enacted and promulgated in December 2023, with partial enforcement in December 2024 (medical cannabis and usage penalties) and cultivation licensing system enforcement in FY2025.
Under the new law governing cannabis cultivation regulation, three licensing categories were established: Type 1 cultivators (industrial/CBD production), Type 2 cultivators (pharmaceutical), and research cultivators, opening the path for domestic CBD product manufacturing and sales.