How many days do I have to exercise cooling-off after signing a contract?

8 days
Cooling-off period
Written notice
Required form
Door-to-door
Covered sales type
Act No. 61
Consumer Contract Act
The Short Answer

In Japan, you generally have 8 days to exercise the cooling-off right for door-to-door sales and certain other consumer contracts.

What the Law Says

Japan’s Consumer Contract Act provides a statutory cooling-off period that allows consumers to cancel certain contracts without penalty.

The cooling-off right applies mainly to door-to-door sales, telephone solicitation, and contracts made at places other than the business’s regular office (e.g., hotels, homes, or temporary booths).

To exercise cooling-off, the consumer must send written notice of cancellation to the business within the prescribed period. The period starts on the day the consumer receives the required written notice from the business — not the day the contract is signed.

If the business fails to provide the required written notice (including cooling-off information), the cooling-off period extends to one year from the contract date.

Statutory Text

The consumer may cancel the consumer contract by giving written notice to the business operator within eight days from the day on which the consumer receives the written notice required under the preceding paragraph.

— Consumer Contract Act, s. 32 — Right to Cancel Consumer Contracts
Statutory Text

Where the business operator fails to give the written notice required under paragraph (1), the consumer may cancel the consumer contract by giving written notice to the business operator within one year from the day on which the consumer contract was concluded.

— Consumer Contract Act, s. 32 — Right to Cancel Consumer Contracts

What to Do

1

Confirm whether your contract falls under covered types (e.g., door-to-door, telephone, or off-site sales).

2

Check if the business provided the legally required written notice — including cooling-off rights — at the time of contracting.

3

Send a clear written cancellation notice (by certified mail recommended) within 8 days of receiving that notice.

4

Keep proof of mailing and a copy of your notice.

Sources

statuteConsumer Contract Act, s. 32 — Right to Cancel Consumer Contracts

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.