JapanDeceived by work-at-home scheme. How long to cancel?
You can cancel a work-at-home contract entered into through deception within 8 days of receiving the written contract document.
What the Law Says
Japan’s Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (SCT Act) gives special cancellation rights to consumers deceived by work-at-home schemes — including those involving craft assembly, data entry, or envelope stuffing — where misleading claims were made about income or ease of work.
If a business uses false or exaggerated statements — such as promising high income with little effort — to induce you to sign a work-at-home contract, the SCT Act treats this as a 'deceptive solicitation'.
Under this law, you may cancel the contract without penalty simply by giving written notice to the business. You do not need to prove fraud in court or give any justification.
The 8-day cancellation window starts the day you receive the written contract document — not the day you signed it or made payment.
Statutory TextWhere a specific commercial transaction is concluded as a result of a solicitation that induces a consumer to conclude the transaction by means of deception... the consumer may cancel the contract by giving notice thereof in writing to the other party.
— Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, s. 32 — Cancellation of Contracts Concluded as a Result of Deceptive Solicitation
Statutory TextThe period during which the consumer may cancel the contract under the preceding paragraph is eight days from the day on which the consumer receives the written document specified in the preceding paragraph.
— Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, s. 32, para 2
What to Do
Obtain and keep a copy of the written contract document you received.
Send a written cancellation notice (email or registered mail) to the business within 8 days of receiving that document.
Keep proof of sending (e.g., postal receipt or email timestamp).
The business must refund all payments — including deposits, material fees, and training costs — within 10 days of receiving your notice.
Sources
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.