The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has announced revisions to the standard warehouse deposit agreement and the standard refrigerated warehouse deposit agreement.
Both are scheduled to be promulgated in October 2025 and come into effect on April 1, 2026.
This revision is based on the fact that the regulations no longer reflect current practices, as they have not been substantially revised for over 60 years since their enactment in 1959 (the standard refrigerated warehouse deposit agreement was established in 1960).
Specifically, this will include systematized warehouse management in the warehousing industry, explicit mention of fax and electronic data as means of communication, and provisions for refusing certain services in the event of system failures.
Furthermore, in response to the revisions to the Civil Code and the revised Logistics Act, provisions that were previously insufficient will be expanded and clarified.
In addition to clarifying the ancillary services provided by warehouse operators, the system will allow for additional charges to be applied to urgent inbound and outbound orders that lead to increased loading, unloading, and waiting times.
