Guidance

List of UK-Japan CEPA gender mainstreamed provisions

Published 26 June 2025

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The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) contains gender mainstreamed provisions throughout the agreement. For the full text of the CEPA and other key documents to help you understand the agreement, see the UK-Japan CEPA collection page.

1. Domestic regulation

1.1 Chapter 8, Article 8.3

Measures relating to licensing requirements and procedures, and qualification requirements and procedures of each Party shall be based on the following criteria:

  • clarity

  • objectivity

  • transparency

  • advance public availability

  • accessibility

If a Party adopts or maintains a measure relating to licensing requirements and procedures, and qualification requirements and procedures, it shall ensure that:

  • the licensing and qualification procedures are impartial and adequate for applicants to demonstrate that they meet the requirements, if such requirements exist

  • the licensing and qualification procedures do not in themselves unjustifiably prevent the fulfilment of the requirements

  • such a measure does not discriminate between men and women[footnote 1]

2. Investment

2.1 Chapter 16, Article 16.5

The Parties recognise the importance of enhancing the contribution of trade and investment to the goal of sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions. Accordingly, the Parties:

  • shall encourage corporate social responsibility and exchange views and information on this matter through the Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development, and as appropriate through other fora. In this regard, the Parties recognise the importance of the relevant internationally recognised principles and guidelines, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises which are part of the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises adopted by the OECD on 21 June 1976 and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy adopted by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office in November 1977

  1. For the purposes of this subparagraph, differential treatment that is reasonable and objective, and aims to achieve a legitimate purpose, and adoption by a Party of temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women, shall not be considered as discrimination. ↩

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