East Asia · Country coverage

AML/CTF Compliance in Japan

Japan regulates AML/CTF through JAFIC and the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds. See the obligations and how MemberCheck supports them.

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Screening coverage for Japan
  • Sanctions & PEP screening
  • Adverse media checks
  • Customer identity verification
  • Jurisdiction risk checks
  • Ongoing monitoring

Key facts

AML supervisor / FIUFinancial Services Agency and sector authorities (supervisors); JAFIC (FIU)
FATF statusFATF member
Primary legislationAct on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (2007)
Overview

AML/CTF compliance in Japan.

Japan has built its AML/CTF regime in step with international standards, beginning with the Anti-Drug Special Provisions Law in 1992 and maturing through the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds in 2007, which established JAFIC as the country's financial intelligence unit.

Financial institutions and designated business operators must run customer due diligence, keep records, monitor transactions, and report suspicious activity to the authority that supervises their sector, which passes those reports to JAFIC. Supervisors expect a documented compliance framework, a named responsible officer, and continual staff training.

MemberCheck helps teams meet these obligations by screening customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifying identities, and monitoring risk continuously, with a clear audit trail behind every decision.

Regulation

Key laws and regulators.

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JAFIC

The Japan Financial Intelligence Center, established in 2007 within the National Police Agency. Under Article 8 of the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds, operators report to their own supervisory authority, which notifies the National Public Safety Commission. JAFIC then collects, analyses, and disseminates those reports to law enforcement and prosecutors.

Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (2007)

Japan's principal AML statute. It sets customer due diligence, record-keeping, and suspicious transaction reporting duties for specified business operators.

Anti-Drug Special Provisions Law (1992)

Japan's first AML law, enacted to implement the UN narcotics convention and criminalise the laundering of drug proceeds.

FATF 40 Recommendations

As a FATF member, Japan aligns its regime with the international standards that shape expectations for financial institutions and designated businesses.

Obligations

What regulated businesses must do.

  • Customer due diligence on customers and beneficial owners
  • Appoint an officer responsible for AML compliance
  • File suspicious transaction reports (STRs) with the competent supervisory authority, which routes them to JAFIC
  • Maintain a documented internal compliance framework
  • Ongoing monitoring of customer transactions
  • Staff training and record keeping
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FAQ

Common questions.

Who supervises AML/CTF in Japan?

Supervision sits with each sector's competent administrative authority, which for financial institutions is the Financial Services Agency (FSA). JAFIC, the Japan Financial Intelligence Center, is Japan's financial intelligence unit rather than its supervisor. Established in 2007 within the National Police Agency, it analyses suspicious transaction reports and disseminates intelligence to law enforcement.

What is the main AML law in Japan?

The Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (2007) is Japan's principal AML statute, setting customer due diligence, record-keeping, and suspicious transaction reporting obligations.

Is Japan a member of FATF?

Yes. Japan is a member of the Financial Action Task Force and aligns its AML/CTF regime with the FATF 40 Recommendations.

How does MemberCheck support AML compliance in Japan?

MemberCheck screens customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifies identities, and monitors risk continuously, with an audit trail behind every decision.

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