What is “cooling-off” system?

It is a system allowing the unconditional cancelation of a contract within a given period and offers a time for the consumer calmly reflect after a sudden invitation, for example through door to door sales, and sign the contract under unfavorable circumstances.

Period and possible situations for using the “cooling-off” system

The system allows canceling the contract within 8 days after signing the contract of the following items:

• Door to door sales
• Telephone selling
• Contracts during visits
• Specific continued service offers (aesthetic and idioms classes, among others)

The system allows canceling the contract within 20 days after signing the contract of the following items:

• Sales derived from business offers (‘naishoku’ sales method, marketing monitor, among others)
• Network marketing (multilevel marketing)

Items not allowed on ‘cooling-off’

• Goods purchased at physical shops (except for misleading advertising, fraudulent sales, among others)
• Goods purchased on virtual stores
• Automobiles (including financial leasing), funeral services, among others
• Cosmetics, healthy food and other goods partially used
• Financial transactions lesser than ¥3.000
• Automobiles, appliances, domestic utensils, securities, books, DVDs, CDs, video game purchased through door to door sales.

How to use the “cooling-off”

1. Send to the company/seller a document (such as a hagaki) by specified recorded delivery or simple recorded delivery.
2. Keep a copy of the document before sending it and save the copy along with the receipt obtained at the post office
3. If the payment is made by credit card, send the same document to the credit company

Click here to open a PDF file explaining the correct writing of the document (Japanese)

Don’t worry alone and make an inquiry

Make an inquiry with Consumer Affairs Center or Municipal Center of Consumer Affairs nearest to your residence in case you do not know if it will be possible to use the cooling-off system or you do not know the procedures (only in Japanese)

Consumer’s Hotline TEL; 188

When calling “188”, an announcement will be issued and the call will be redirected to the Municipal Center for Consumer Affairs nearest to your residence or to the Consumer Affairs Center of Mie Prefecture.