ISLAMABAD – In a bid to enhance cross-border regulatory cooperation, Ms. Yutaka Arai, Commissioner of Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA), met with Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, Chairman of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP), on Monday to discuss joint initiatives in digital market regulation and consumer protection.
During the meeting at CCP headquarters, Dr. Sidhu outlined Pakistan’s growing emphasis on digital market oversight, highlighting the launch of the Commission’s study on the “Competition Assessment of Digital Markets and Digital Services in Pakistan.” The study, he said, will inform a forthcoming Draft Bill on Digital Markets, aligning Pakistan’s approach with global trends in jurisdictions like the UK, US, Russia, and India.
“This initiative will not only examine the impact of digital markets on competition and employment, but also provide policy recommendations in line with global best practices,” Dr. Sidhu said.
Ms. Arai welcomed the initiative, noting that Japan too faces challenges in regulating its digital economy. She shared that Tokyo is in the process of introducing a Digital Markets Act to strengthen oversight in the sector. Both sides agreed to collaborate on ongoing research and policy development.
Citing recent reforms, Ms. Arai pointed to amendments in Japan’s Act on Specified Commercial Transactions enforced in June 2022, which now require e-commerce sellers to clearly display key contractual details—such as quantity, payment terms, and delivery timelines—on final checkout screens. These changes empower consumers with the right to rescind contracts in cases of misleading information and prohibit misrepresentation of cancellation rights, with penalties ranging from administrative action to direct punitive measures.
“While Japan’s law does not outright ban defective goods in e-commerce, there is strong encouragement for sellers to ensure quality and transparency,” she said, adding that consumer confidence is bolstered through clear guidelines and accountability.
Dr. Sidhu acknowledged the relevance of Japan’s experience to Pakistan’s increasingly complex e-commerce landscape, particularly with the rise of cross-border online shopping. He proposed the development of a centralised product safety law for Pakistan, modeled on international best practices.
To formalise the cooperation, the CCP and CAA Japan agreed to form a Joint Research Group focused on digital markets and consumer rights. The initiative is expected to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative policymaking.
The meeting concluded with both countries expressing commitment to deepen institutional ties and strengthen consumer protection frameworks in an evolving digital economy.
