11. Unethical Business Practices

Since the 2022 legal reform, 18-year-olds are now considered adults in Japan. This means that as a university student, you can legally enter into contracts on your own.
You can sign up for a cellphone plan, apply for a credit card, subscribe to online services, or even take out a loan, without parental consent. However, this also means you're more likely to run into consumer scams and shady business practices, which are becoming more common.
Common examples include being charged a large fee after signing up for what you thought was a free trial, getting locked into a long-term contract without realizing it, and getting lured in by hard-to-resist sales tactics such as “limited-time offer! or “just for you!”.
In these situations, saying “I didn’t know” or “I’m still a student” won’t protect you. As an adult, you’re expected to take responsibility for the contracts you enter and to have the strength to refuse when something doesn’t feel right.

To avoid these scams, keep these tips in mind:

• Don’t sign anything or click “agree” unless you fully understand the terms.
• Never feel pressured to decide on the spot, take the information home and think it over.
• If something feels off or makes you uneasy, talk to your family, APU, or your local Consumer Affairs Center right away.