Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Hood cords catching on playground equipment have caused accidents in many countries. Japan adopted a safety standard for cords on children's clothing (a JIS, Japanese Industrial Standard) in 2015. This article sets out what it says and how it compares with the standards you may know from home.
| Part of the garment | Rule (applies to under-13s) |
|---|---|
| Head and neck | No cords (under 7). Ages 7 to under 13: limits on the length of hanging cords and on drawstrings |
| Waist and hem | Hanging cord 14 cm or less; no cord may hang below the hem (must not extend past the bottom edge of the garment) |
| Cuffs | Hanging cord 7 cm or less |
| Back | No cords |
[Verify] Confirm the year and month of adoption, the age bands and the year of the Tokyo survey against published material from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The knot or loop catching on playground equipment, a door or a bus door is the typical accident. Removing the cord is the thinking behind the standard. Pull it out or cut it off is the practical step.
A JIS is voluntary, and non-compliant products are on the market. The big makers have largely adopted it, but imports, small brands and second-hand clothes need checking.
The standard covers children under 13. Cords catch on playground equipment, bicycles, escalators and train doors whatever the child's size.
Clothing accidents reported to the Consumer Affairs Agency include cords catching, hoods catching, buttons swallowed and ribbons tangling. Cords are the easiest of these to prevent.
EU and US products meet equivalent or stricter standards, but there are countries with no standard at all. Judge by looking at cords at the neck and back, and cords hanging below the hem.
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https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2015/12/20151221002/20151221002.html
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/child/
https://www.shouhiseikatu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/anzen/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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