The Japan CBD White Paper 2025 is finally out! A comprehensive 107-page analysis of the CBD market following the first legal revision in 75 years. One of the largest industry reports in Japan!
Is the CBD Industry in a New Era? Is the CBD industry in a new era or a wacky one? The culmination of a large scale survey facing this question
Wellness Kit Co., Ltd.
On April 20, 2025, CBD Library (operated by Wellness Kit Co., Ltd.), in collaboration with "CBD Bu" and "CANNABIS INSIGHT," released the "CBD White Paper 2025," a project that surveys and compiles the trends of CBD brands, retail stores, and related news in Japan and abroad.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a health ingredient derived from hemp (cannabis), which is approved for use in Japan. It has no psychotropic effects, is believed to support relaxation and health maintenance, and has been attracting attention worldwide in the wellness and beauty fields in recent years.
This study visualizes the CBD market situation in Japan in response to the "Cannabis Control Law" and "Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Law" that will be enforced in December 2024.
CBD White Paper 2025
A rare industry record that visualizes the "voice of the withdrawers
One of the notable features of the "CBD White Paper 2025" is that interviews and questionnaires were conducted not only with companies that are still in business, but also with CBD businesses that have decided to withdraw, close, or change their businesses in the wave of systemic reforms.
In the white paper, we organized the testimonies of these withdrawers in terms of both qualitative comments and quantitative data, and analyzed them in chapters on "Trends and Reasons for Withdrawal.
It quietly reveals the current state of the CBD industry, which only businesses that have withdrawn can talk about, and provides the most practical and realistic perspective for those who are continuing/starting now.
Interviews with Withdrawal Businesses (excerpts)
Background of the Survey｜After 75 years of systemic reform, the CBD industry is entering a phase of restructuring.
In December 2024, Japan's "Cannabis Control Law" and "Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law" were revised for the first time in 75 years, marking a major turning point in the CBD market system.
The main point of the revision is the shift from "part regulation" (stems and seeds are legal) to "ingredient regulation" (THC residue standards).
This introduced a clear numerical standard for the amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) residue in products.
Regulation of THC Residue Standards
Oil and fat products: 10ppm or less
Aqueous solution: 0.1ppm or less
Other forms: 1ppm or less
With the introduction of these standards, the "legality and illegality" of CBD products became clearer, while many businesses were forced to review their manufacturing, sales, and importation systems and restructure their product designs.
Now that the system is in place, the question for the industry is, "Who stayed?" Why did they leave? In what ways have they survived?" And, "How can the CBD spread beyond the system?"
In order to face these questions head-on, CBD media companies "CBD Library", "CBD Bu", and "CANNABIS INSIGHT" collaborated to conduct one of the largest industry surveys in Japan, spanning the system, market, distribution, and consumption.
We have launched a project to visualize the "structure and atmosphere" of the CBD industry immediately after the revision, using primary data and multifaceted perspectives.
Outline of the Survey
◎Survey Period: February 26, 2025 (Wed) - April 5, 2025 (Sat)
◎Sponsor : CBD Library (Wellness Kit Co., Ltd.),
CBD Bu (Asabis Corporation), CANNABIS INSIGHT (SETODEZA LLC)
Surveyed: CBD Brands / CBD Shops / New and Exiting Businesses
New entrants and exiting businesses (including media and importers/exporters)
Domestic and international news
Survey Method: Web Questionnaire / Internet Research / Interviews
CBD stores: 549 companies, 26 companies (396 stores) responded
CBD Brands: 345 companies, 28 companies responded
◎Publication : "CBD White Paper 2025" (PDF, 107 pages)
Outline of "CBD White Paper 2025
The "CBD White Paper 2025" is a document that reconstructs the "current situation of CBD" from three perspectives: business trends of each player before and after the revision of the law, trends of new entrants and withdrawals, and trends of related news at home and abroad.
It is designed for all players in the CBD industry, not just those in specific industries.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Overview of the CBD market in Japan
Results of Questionnaire Survey of CBD Businesses
- CBD Brand Survey
- CBD Shop Survey
- CBD Business Entry Survey
Special feature: Survey on withdrawals from the CBD market
Trends in CBD-related news
Summary
◎ Intended Readership:
This survey is designed as a reference material for
CBD brands/manufacturers/distributors/sales/importers
Marketers and public relations staff involved in advertising, regulatory compliance, and PR design
Researchers, educational institutions, and government officials who analyze consumer behavior and social cognition
People involved in policy design and regulatory review of CBD
Media/press as materials for structural understanding and interviews
◎How to obtain:
Available for purchase (PDF download) at the CBD White Paper special page
◎Date of release:
April 20, 2025
◎Number of pages:
107 pages in total
◎Price:
500 $ (tax included)
◎How to purchase:
From either of the following
https://project.cbdbu.jp/white-paper/2025
https://store.cbd-library.com/products/cbdbook-cbdwhitepaper2025-cbdwhitepaperproductioncommittee
Project Organizer
■Survey Media
◎CBD Library (operated by Wellness Kit Co., Ltd.)
Currently operating a nationwide CBD store search site (1,325 stores listed) and online select store "CBD Library" in Japan.
*Figures are as of the end of April, 2025.
◎CBD Bu (operated by Asabis K.K.)
As one of the largest CBD and hemp-related communities in Japan, it disseminates information, holds events for businesses and consumers, and provides advisory services.
URL: https://cbdbu.jp/
◎CANNABIS INSIGHT (operated by SETODEZA LLC)
CANNABIS INSIGHT" is a business and economic information media for cannabis and CBD. It is updating global cannabis and CBD news and business information for CBD businesses and business people.
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- Corporate Trends