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Investing in Japan

Support and Services

Governmental Support

The Office of Trade and Investment Ombudsman (OTO)

The Office of Trade and Investment Ombudsman (OTO)To other site is a Japanese government body whose primary function is to quickly process and address complaints from overseas and domestic enterprises concerning specific government regulations seen as obstacles to exporting to or investing in Japan. OTO has considerable reach, with representatives in relevant government ministries and agencies such as customs houses and counselor offices, regional economic trade and industry bureaus, general quarantine offices, animal quarantine stations, plant epidemic prevention stations, regional transport bureaus, embassies and consulates as well as JETRO offices.

  1. How to File a Complaint
    Complaints can be filed in any form: by telephone, fax, e-mail, postal mail and/or going to the contact point in person. The name, address and telephone number of the person/body making the complainant, along with an outline of the complaint, should be indicated. Even when filing a "Format to Address Issues to OTO," this basic information is required. The OTO Secretariat will notify the person/body making the complaint in due time.
  2. Proxy Complaints
    A complaint can be filed anonymously, via such proxies as a chamber of commerce or foreign diplomatic missions,
  3. Where to File Complaints
    Complaints can be filed with OTO contact points either in Japan or overseas. Persons/bodies can contact the OTO Secretariat (within the Cabinet Office) if the appropriate contact point is not known.
  4. Explanation on the Filed Complaint
    In principle, an explanation on the filed complaint is given through the OTO Secretariat within 10 days after its submission. If the person/body making the complaint is not satisfied with the explanation, he/she can submit questions/opinions to the ministry/agency that provided the explanation.
  5. Deliberation by Grievance Resolution Meeting
    In principle, if resolution procedures do not end within three months, the complaint concerned will be submitted to the Grievance Resolution Committee of the Market Access Ombudsman Council (MAOC) for deliberation. The complainant and the ministry/agency in charge can participate in this deliberation, with each party directly stating their opinions. After the deliberation, the Grievance Resolution Committee states its opinions to the government concerning the direction of the complaint resolution, if so required.

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