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GHS in Japan and China: A Brief Orientation

Both Japan and China implement the GHS through national standards and laws rather than a single regulation. Japan uses JIS standards (JIS Z 7252 for classification and JIS Z 7253 for hazard communication) linked to its Industrial Safety and Health Act, and China uses GB standards (including GB/T 16483 for safety data sheets) linked to its hazardous chemicals management rules. Both require local-language documents and have local requirements, so sheets from other regions rarely comply unchanged.

Last updated by SDS Lookup

About this page

This is a short orientation rather than a compliance guide. National rules in both countries are technical, are revised from time to time, and have enforcement details that general summaries cannot capture. We describe the structure and the main differences you are likely to meet on a sheet, and omit details that we cannot verify. Always rely on the official texts or on local specialists for compliance decisions.

Japan

  • Framework. The Industrial Safety and Health Act requires labels and SDSs for designated hazardous substances used in workplaces, and the Japanese Industrial Standards set out the GHS classification (JIS Z 7252) and the content of labels and SDSs (JIS Z 7253). Other laws regulate chemical substances in commerce, such as the Chemical Substances Control Law, and the pollutant release and transfer register system also sets an SDS duty for covered substances.
  • Language. Labels and sheets are expected in Japanese for use in Japan.
  • Format. The 16-section GHS format is used, with Japanese-specific entries in the regulatory section, such as references to the domestic laws.
  • Classification. Classification is based on the GHS as adopted in JIS, and government agencies also publish classification results for many substances, which suppliers use as reference. The revision of the GHS followed varies with the JIS edition.

China

  • Framework. The Regulations on the Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals set duties for producers, sellers and users. Mandatory national standards, such as the GB 30000 series for classification and labelling (GB 30000.1-2024 has replaced GB 13690-2009 as the general rules), are paired with the recommended standard GB/T 16483 on the content and order of safety data sheets. Separate registration rules apply to new chemical substances and to hazardous chemicals.
  • Language. Chinese-language labels and sheets are required for the Chinese market.
  • Emergency contact. Chinese rules expect an emergency consultation telephone number from a qualified service, so a foreign 24-hour number may not satisfy them.
  • Format. GB/T 16483 uses the 16-section order, with some differences in sub-items and wording.

Key differences versus OSHA HazCom

  • Language. Local language is mandatory, while OSHA requires English.
  • Environmental classes. Both countries include environmental information in their GHS implementations, to different degrees, unlike HazCom.
  • Inventory and registration. Both have separate substance-notification systems that sit beside hazard communication, as TSCA does in the US.
  • Revision levels. The GHS revision followed in the national standards is not the same as OSHA's.
  • Legal basis. Standards referenced by law, rather than a single regulation text, so the binding force of each part varies.

Practical advice

  1. Do not reuse a US or EU sheet for these markets. Commission a version prepared for the country.
  2. Check the emergency number, language and regulatory sections with a local expert.
  3. Where you receive a sheet from a Japanese or Chinese supplier, expect the 16-section layout, and use our section guides to find the equivalent information.
  4. Use the AI SDS analyzer for a first-pass summary, and have a competent person verify anything safety-critical.
  5. See UN GHS for the common structure and Australia for another national example.

Frequently asked questions

Do Japan and China use the GHS?

Yes, both implement it through national standards (JIS in Japan and GB standards in China) linked to their laws, with local-language and local-content requirements.

Can I use an American SDS in Japan or China?

Generally not unchanged. Local language and local regulatory content are expected, and China has specific requirements for emergency contact information.

Which standard defines the SDS format in China?

GB/T 16483 sets out the content and order of safety data sheets, alongside the GB 30000 series on classification and labelling.

Where can I get authoritative information?

From the responsible national authorities and the official standards bodies, or from local regulatory specialists. This page is only an orientation.

Reference only. This page is general education, not legal advice and not a replacement for the safety data sheet, label and procedures that come with the product you use or for the text of the regulation itself. Have an SDS you want explained? Try the AI SDS analyzer.