⚠️This page provides a legal overview. Please verify with official government sources.
Corals & Marine Life Regulations & Legal Guide
An overview of the main Japanese rules affecting the trade, import, and collection of corals and marine life. Reef-building corals (order Scleractinia) are listed in their entirety on Appendix II of the Washington Convention (CITES), so international trade requires permits and procedures. This page is not legal advice.
Washington Convention (CITES)
Overview
The order Scleractinia (reef-building, or stony, corals) is listed in its entirety on Appendix II (Scleractinia spp.). Organ-pipe coral (Tubipora), blue coral (Heliopora), fire corals (Millepora), and giant clams (Tridacnidae) are also covered. Export and import of Appendix II species generally require an export permit issued by the exporting country together with, on the Japanese side, import approval and customs clearance. Where frags (daughter colonies) propagated within Japan are traded domestically, these international-trade rules generally do not apply. Separately, some corals — such as precious corals (Corallium and others) — are listed on Appendix III instead.
Penalties
This section is an overview and does not state definitive sentencing. Under Japanese law, exporting or importing CITES-listed items without permission may constitute a violation of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA) or the Customs Act, and may be subject to imprisonment or a fine. Please confirm the exact requirements and penalties against primary sources from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Japan Customs.
Exemptions & Exceptions
- Frags propagated or divided within Japan and traded domestically are generally outside the scope of the CITES international-trade rules
- Specimens lawfully imported with a CITES permit from the exporting country and Japanese import approval
- Some corals, such as precious corals, are listed on Appendix III and may be treated differently
Rules on collecting and taking corals within Japan (Natural Parks Act, fisheries-related laws and regulations, local ordinances, etc.)
Overview
Collecting or taking corals and marine life from the sea within Japan may, depending on the location, be restricted or prohibited by the Natural Parks Act (protection rules for national and quasi-national parks), by laws and regulations on fishing rights and fishery resources, or by prefectural and municipal ordinances. Coral reefs in particular are frequently designated for conservation, and collecting without permission leads to trouble or to a violation. If you are considering collecting, check in advance with the local government and the relevant authorities with jurisdiction over the waters concerned.
Penalties
This section is an overview and does not state definitive sentencing. The Japanese laws and ordinances that apply differ from one sea area to another, and violations may result in non-penal fines (karyo) or criminal fines. For details, please confirm against primary sources from the local government and the relevant authorities with jurisdiction over the waters concerned.
Exemptions & Exceptions
- Surveys or research carried out with permission, or cases where the rights holder has given consent
- Cases where the sea area and the species can be confirmed to fall outside the scope of the rules
Invasive alien species and ecosystem conservation (proper management of kept specimens)
Overview
To prevent impacts on ecosystems, you must not release corals, marine life, or symbiotic organisms you keep — or the water from your aquarium — into the sea, rivers, or any other natural environment. If you can no longer care for a specimen, deal with it appropriately by transferring it or arranging for it to be taken in, and avoid abandoning it outdoors. Keeping, transporting, transferring, or releasing organisms designated as Designated Invasive Alien Species is regulated under Japan's Invasive Alien Species Act.
Penalties
This section is an overview and does not state definitive sentencing. Violations concerning Designated Invasive Alien Species may be subject to imprisonment or a fine under Japan's Invasive Alien Species Act. For details, please confirm against primary sources from Japan's Ministry of the Environment.
Exemptions & Exceptions
- Proper keeping of organisms that are not designated as Designated Invasive Alien Species
- Handling for which permission has been obtained