Alcohol Sales Compliance Notice

(“this Notice”)

This Notice sets forth the policies and operational rules adopted by Okoshi Shoten Co., Ltd. (“the Store”) in connection with the online sale of alcoholic beverages through our e-commerce platform (“the Site”).
The purpose of this Notice is to ensure full compliance with the Liquor Tax Act, the Act on Prohibition of Drinking by Persons Under Twenty Years of Age, the Liquor Business Association Act, other relevant statutes, administrative guidelines, and applicable industry self-regulatory standards, and to promote the prevention of underage drinking and the responsible consumption of alcohol.

Article 1 (Scope and Purpose)

  1. This Notice establishes the Store’s compliance policies and operational rules regarding applicable laws, age-verification procedures, advertising, labelling, shipment, delivery, and all other activities related to the sale of alcoholic beverages conducted through the Site.

  2. This Notice applies to all individuals who access the Site, any person who places an order for alcoholic beverages through the Store, and any person who receives delivery of alcoholic beverages from the Store.

  3. This Notice shall be read together with the Store’s Terms of Use, the legally-mandated “Act on Specified Commercial Transactions” disclosures, the Privacy Policy, and any other applicable rules.
    In the event of any inconsistency, and to the extent permitted by law, the provisions of this Notice shall prevail with respect to matters concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages and age verification.

Article 2 (Compliance with Applicable Laws and Self-Regulatory Standards)

  1. The Store respects and endeavours to comply with all relevant Japanese laws, regulations, notices, and administrative guidance, including but not limited to:

    • Liquor Tax Act

    • Act on Prohibition of Drinking by Persons Under Twenty Years of Age

    • Liquor Business Association Act

    • Act on Specified Commercial Transactions

    • Act on the Protection of Personal Information

    • All other laws and guidelines related to alcohol sales, advertising, online commerce, and data protection.

  2. The Store further respects the self-regulatory standards established by the Liaison Council on Alcohol Advertising and the Central Liaison Council for the Liquor Industry regarding the “Standards for Advertising and Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages and Alcohol Containers,” and will operate its advertising and labelling practices in accordance with those principles.

  3. The Store will follow the National Tax Agency’s “Standards for Prevention of Drinking by Persons Under Twenty” and the guidance provided in the “Handbook for Applications for Liquor Retail Licences for Mail Order Sales,” and will implement appropriate labelling and age-verification measures consistent with those standards.

Article 3 (Display of Liquor Retail Licence Information)

  1. The Store conducts online sales of alcoholic beverages only after obtaining the required liquor retail licence issued by the competent Tax Office Director.

  2. The Store will clearly display on the Site, including in the legally required “Act on Specified Commercial Transactions” section, the following information:

    • Type of licence: Liquor Retail Licence

    • Licence number: Sengen No. 467

    • Name and address of the establishment where a certified Alcohol Sales Manager is appointed:
      3-16-2 Inagehigashi, Inage-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture

    • Name of Alcohol Sales Manager: Yuzo Okoshi

    • Supervising tax office: Chiba East Tax Office

Article 4 (Appointment and Duties of the Alcohol Sales Manager)

  1. In accordance with the Liquor Business Association Act, the Store appoints an Alcohol Sales Manager (“Sales Manager”) for each business location engaged in the sale of alcoholic beverages.

  2. The Sales Manager shall provide guidance and training to the business operator and employees to ensure that all alcohol-related operations are conducted properly and in compliance with applicable laws and this Notice.

  3. The Store shall ensure that the Sales Manager completes the prescribed training course for Alcohol Sales Managers and attends any required renewal courses.

  4. If the Sales Manager is appointed or dismissed, the Store shall promptly file the required notification with the competent Tax Office within the period prescribed by law.

Article 5 (Prohibition of Underage Drinking and Basic Policy)

  1. Drinking alcohol by persons under twenty years of age is prohibited by law.
    The Store does not sell or supply alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of twenty.

  2. The Store recognises the prevention of underage drinking as a social responsibility and adopts the following fundamental policies:

    • The Store shall not sell alcoholic beverages to persons under twenty.

    • The Store shall take necessary measures to verify that the purchaser is twenty years of age or older.

    • The Store shall clearly display warnings and educational statements on the Site to help prevent underage drinking.

  3. The Store will display at least the following notices, in a clearly legible size and colour, on the Site, product pages, and checkout pages:

    • “The drinking of alcohol by persons under twenty years of age is prohibited by law.”

    • “Our store does not sell alcoholic beverages to persons under twenty.”

Article 6 (Age Verification at the Time of Order)

  1. When selling alcoholic beverages online, the Store shall verify that the purchaser is twenty years of age or older using one or more of the following measures:

    (1) Age verification during the purchase process

    • Requiring the purchaser to enter their date of birth in the cart or checkout process.

    • Displaying, alongside the date-of-birth field, notices such as:
      “The drinking of alcohol by persons under twenty years of age is prohibited by law.”
      “Orders for alcoholic beverages cannot be accepted from persons under twenty.”

    • Requiring the purchaser to confirm, via a checkbox, a declaration such as:
      “I certify that I am twenty years of age or older and that I will not provide alcoholic beverages to persons under twenty.”

    • Implementing, where technically feasible, system controls that block order completion if the entered date of birth indicates the purchaser is under twenty.

    (2) Additional confirmation where necessary
    The Store may require additional verification, including:

    • Submission of an image of a government-issued ID (driver’s licence, MyNumber card, passport, etc.)

    • Age confirmation by telephone

    • Any other reasonable method consistent with law and administrative guidance

Article 7 (Age Verification at Delivery)

  1. The Store shall cooperate with delivery service providers to ensure appropriate age verification at the time of delivery.

  2. The Store will request that delivery providers:

    • Ask for government-issued ID if the recipient’s age is not clearly apparent.

    • Refuse delivery and return the product to the Store if the recipient is determined to be under twenty or refuses to provide age verification.

    • Conduct similar age-verification measures upon redelivery if the initial delivery attempt was unsuccessful.

Article 8 (Self-Certification of Age and Response to Improper Purchases)

  1. By completing an order for alcoholic beverages, the purchaser certifies that they are twenty years of age or older and that they are not purchasing alcohol for consumption by persons under twenty.

  2. If the Store reasonably suspects—based on provided information, past order history, or other circumstances—that the purchaser may be underage, the Store may:

    • Request additional identification;

    • Place the order on hold or cancel shipment pending verification;

    • Decline future orders from that purchaser.

  3. Except where the Store is legally responsible, the Store assumes no liability for any loss or damage arising from the purchaser’s submission of false age information or concealment of underage status.

  4. If underage drinking or fraudulent purchase is discovered, the Store may take appropriate measures in accordance with guidance from competent authorities.

Article 9 (Advertising and Labelling of Alcoholic Beverages)

  1. In its online advertising and product labelling, the Store respects the principles embodied in the alcohol advertising self-regulatory standards and refrains from:

    • Expressions that condone or promote underage drinking;

    • Expressions that condone or promote drinking and driving;

    • Linking alcohol consumption to violence, excessive sexual content, or socially inappropriate conduct;

    • Misleading claims implying health benefits or therapeutic effects of alcohol.

  2. The Store shall display, in a clearly visible manner, warnings such as:

    • “The drinking of alcohol by persons under twenty years of age is prohibited by law.”

    • “We do not sell alcoholic beverages to persons under twenty.”

    • “Drinking during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may adversely affect the development of the foetus or infant.”

  3. Warning text shall not be displayed in an excessively small size relative to product prices or other prominent information.

Article 10 (Responsible Drinking Notices)

  1. Based on guidance issued by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and other bodies, the Store shall provide notices regarding health risks and responsible drinking, including:

    • Excessive alcohol intake may increase the risk of liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and mental or neurological disorders.

    • Appropriate drinking limits vary depending on individual constitution and health conditions.

    • Individuals who feel unwell, are taking medication, or have been instructed by a physician to abstain should refrain from drinking.

  2. The Site will display notices such as:

    • “Drink responsibly. Do not engage in binge drinking or rapid consumption.”

    • “Even small amounts of alcohol may affect health depending on personal condition. Consult a doctor if you have concerns.”

Article 11 (Pregnancy and Breastfeeding)

  1. The Store will display, on product pages or elsewhere as appropriate, warnings that drinking during pregnancy or breastfeeding may adversely affect foetal or infant development.

  2. Notices such as the following shall be displayed in a legible and non-obscured manner:
    “Drinking during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may adversely affect foetal or infant development.”

Article 12 (Prohibition of Drinking by Drivers and Similar Persons)

  1. In accordance with the Road Traffic Act, the Store will display warnings on the Site reminding users that drinking and driving is prohibited.

  2. Notices such as the following shall be displayed as appropriate:

    • “Drinking and driving is prohibited by law. Never drink and drive.”

    • “If you are planning to drive or perform hazardous tasks, do not consume alcohol.”

Article 13 (Returns and Cancellations Specific to Alcoholic Beverages)

  1. Due to the nature of alcoholic products, the Store may adopt a policy that it does not accept returns or exchanges based solely on customer convenience.
    Specific conditions will be set forth separately in the Store’s return and exchange policy.

  2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Store will comply with applicable laws and offer returns or exchanges where:

    • The product is damaged or contaminated due to the Store or the delivery process;

    • An incorrect product was delivered;

    • Returns or cancellations are otherwise required by law.

  3. If an unlawful order by a minor is discovered, the Store may cancel the order and arrange for reversal or refund in accordance with applicable payment-service-provider rules.

Article 14 (Protection of Personal Information and Handling of Age-Verification Data)

  1. The Store will appropriately manage any personal information collected, including date of birth, in accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and the Store’s Privacy Policy.

  2. The Store may provide personal information to delivery providers solely for purposes of age verification.
    In such cases, the Store will ensure, through contractual or operational measures, that such information is not used for any purpose other than age verification.

Article 15 (Response to Administrative Guidance and Legal Amendments)

  1. The Store will promptly review and update this Notice and its operational practices if there are amendments to relevant laws, administrative notices or guidelines, or modifications to applicable self-regulatory standards.

  2. If the Store receives administrative guidance, advice, or recommendations from the competent Tax Office or other authorities regarding alcohol sales, age verification, or labelling, the Store will consider such guidance in good faith and take necessary corrective or improvement measures.

  3. In the event of suspected serious legal violations or matters of significant social impact, the Store may consult experts and cooperate with relevant authorities as appropriate.

Article 16 (Publication and Amendment of this Notice)

  1. This Notice shall be published on an appropriate page of the Site.

  2. The Store may amend this Notice as necessary due to changes in laws, administrative guidance, self-regulatory standards, or operational requirements.

  3. Upon amendment, the Store will publish the revised Notice on the Site together with the effective date.
    Unless otherwise specified, the revised Notice shall take effect upon publication.

Article 17 (Contact Point)

Questions regarding this Notice, compliance with alcohol-related laws, age verification procedures, or responsible drinking notices may be submitted through the Store’s designated inquiry form or email address.

The Store will respond in good faith and within a reasonable scope.
Please note that this Notice does not constitute legal advice, and the Store does not provide case-specific legal consultation.