Compliance
An introduction to the Yamaha Motor Group’s initiatives in the area of compliance.
The Yamaha Motor Group has adopted “Compliance Comes First—Doing the Right Thing, the Right Way” as a top management message across the Group. We promote compliance globally as the foundation for creating value as a Kando Creating Company.
Contents
- Compliance Structure
- Code of Ethics
- Compliance Risk Assessment
- Compliance and Legal and Regulatory Training
- Whistle-Blowing Systems (Compliance Hotlines)
- Anti-Corruption
- Compliance with Anti-Monopoly Law and Competition Law
- Thorough Import and Export Management
- Ensuring the Thorough Execution of Certification Operations
- Basic Tax Policy
Compliance Structure
The Yamaha Motor Group has appointed a Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO) and established a Global Risk and Compliance Management Committee, chaired by the CRCO and composed of executive officers to create a structure to ensure legal and regulatory compliance throughout the entire Group. The Committee deliberates plans to ensure compliance, and monitors the implementation of those plans and the corporate culture with regard to compliance.
In addition, as a subordinate committee, the group has established the Global Risk and Compliance Steering Committee, which is composed of Risk and Compliance Officers overseeing major regions appointed by the CRCO, and the Risk and Compliance Promotion Meeting, which is composed of division managers of divisions responsible for risk at the headquarters, to deliberate on policies, plans, monitoring, and countermeasures for compliance from a specialized perspective. The results of these discussions are reported along with ESG risks to the Board of Directors by the CRCO as appropriate, and a system that ensures effectiveness is in place.
Specific activities are rolled out in accordance with the Compliance Management Rules, and the CRCO and the Compliance Management section manage activities throughout the entire Group.
As a way to ensure that compliance is incorporated into the corporate culture, Groupwide compliance awareness surveys are carried out each year to confirm the effectiveness of compliance measures, including the degree of understanding and scope of implementation of the Code of Ethics, the extent to which reporting lines and hotlines are used, and the effectiveness of training programs.
Based on the results of these surveys and social trends, the Code of Ethics Guidebook is updated annually, and the Code of Ethics is reviewed regularly.
Code of Ethics
Based on the Company Pledge and Management Principles that have been passed down since our founding, the Yamaha Motor Group has formulated and disseminated throughout the Group its Code of Ethics, which stipulates standards of behavior to be observed. The Code of Ethics was revised in 2024 following the establishment of the Sustainability Basic Policy, with the addition of provisions related to topics such as human rights, diversity, and social responsibility. The Code of Ethics has been translated into local languages at overseas Group companies, and an educational video has been prepared in 11 languages to provide further internal training to all employees.
In the 2025 compliance awareness survey (covering Japan and the global Group), in response to the question, “Do you have a full understanding of the contents of the Code of Ethics?,” a vast majority of 87% of respondents answered “Yes” while only 3% answered “No.”
Compliance Risk Assessment
A Groupwide risk assessment is carried out each year to identify the common compliance risks that need to be recognized, including bribery and corruption, cartels, security-related export controls, the protection of personal information and the protection of human rights. These risks are then assessed at individual operating divisions and Group companies, appropriate countermeasures are implemented, and their implementation status is monitored.
In addition, specific policies and guidelines, including the Anti-Bribery Policy, Competition Law Compliance Policy, Basic Tax Policy, and Personal Information Protection Policy, have been established to address major compliance risks and strengthen the Group’s compliance framework.
Compliance and Legal and Regulatory Training
A compliance activity plan is formulated each year, and various opportunities are used to conduct compliance training based on this plan.
- a. Compliance training as part of level-specific training
All new employees – both new graduates as well as mid-career hires – and temporary staff take compliance training that focuses on the Code of Ethics when they join the Company. In addition, when an employee is newly promoted to a managerial or supervisory position, division manager, or head of a business site, they take compliance training focused on that position or function each year or as required. This training includes examples of harassment, and how to respond when cases are brought to their attention for consultation.
- b. Compliance training for all employees and managers
All persons who work for Yamaha Motor take compliance training, with the aim of each employee creating a model that will earn the trust of society for the Company as a whole by practicing compliance. In addition, management and management-level employees who are primarily engaged in operating activities undergo compliance training in an effort for top management themselves to demonstrate compliance. This training includes Group Compliance Case Studies carried out by the Global Executive Committee (GEC) made up of the leaders of key Group locations, the Global Compliance Meeting organized yearly for the management of Group companies, and the executive officer compliance training held every year on selected topics. In addition, we promote Compliance Comes First globally across the Group through messages on compliance from the President and Chief Executive Officer, e-learning programs, and video training materials.
- c. Specialized training on laws and regulations
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Group training programs covering laws and regulations deemed to entail significant risk in the execution of the Company’s business activities are carried out annually on select topics. Our legal and regulatory training in 2025 included such topics as ”human rights protection,” “the Antimonopoly Act,” “bribery of public officials,” “protection of personal information,” “import/export controls,” “Subcontracting Act,” “prevention of insider trading,” “control of substances of concern,” “harassment” and “confidential information management.“ In addition to group training sessions, we also use e-learning to provide education in a wide range of fields beyond those mentioned above, such as “sustainability,” “security-related export controls,” and “cybersecurity.”
Training in the Code of Ethics, training about the Group’s major risks (such as cybersecurity and human rights), and other legal and regulatory training (such as competition law and anti-bribery initiatives) are also carried out at overseas Group companies, and the results are monitored by the Japan Head Quarters.
In the 2025 compliance awareness survey (covering Japan and the Group globally), in response to the question, “Do you consider the Company’s compliance education and training to be meaningful?,” 82% of respondents answered “Yes” while only 5% answered “No.”
As a result of these activities, in the 2025 compliance awareness survey (covering Japan and the Group globally), in response to the question, “When you are unsure of something in the course of your work, do you prioritize compliance?,” 93% of respondents answered “Yes” and 1% answered “No.”
Whistle-Blowing Systems (Compliance Hotlines)
The Yamaha Motor Group has a whistle-blowing system for reporting violation of laws and regulations and acts that may be in violation of the Code of Ethics.
As of the “Yamaha Motor Group Compliance Hotline” for Yamaha Motor and domestic Group companies and the “Global Compliance Hotline” for overseas Group companies, both hotlines are operated by external specialized organizations, which accept reports anonymously, thereby creating an environment that facilitates reporting.
Reports that we receive through the hotline are managed strictly as confidential information based on our internal rules. In carrying out investigations, we give consideration to protection of the personal information of the person making the report as well as that of the person who is the target of the report, while ensuring the confidentiality of matters related to the case in question. In the case that misconduct is revealed through investigations, strict punishments are carried out. At the same time, we promptly execute corrective action as well as take measures to prevent recurrence. Through such response, we work to prevent the occurrence of illegal acts and misconduct and enable their early discovery.
To protect whistle-blowers, internal rules clearly state that no directors/officers/employees of the company and the company’s group companies shall treat the person making a report disadvantageously in any manner because the person made the report. We are striving to create a system and culture of compliance by ensuring employees have a deep understanding of the whistle-blowing system, and enabling rapid and proper functioning of the system.
In addition, Yamaha Motor has established the “Fair Business Hotline” for reports from suppliers and the “Human Rights Hotline” for external stakeholders and is working to correct and remedy issues.
During 2025, the whistel-blower hotlines received 264 reports (approximately 1.3 reports per 100 employees), the subjects of which are broken down below.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (Results) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reports made | 182 | 177 | 203 | 247 | 264 |
| Subject of Reports in 2025 | Percent of Total |
|---|---|
| Human resources and labor relations | 58% |
| Financial/accounting | 5% |
| Information management | 3% |
| Quality-related | 0% |
| Corruption prevention | 2% |
| Other (including violations of internal regulations) | 32% |
* Percentage of each subject is based on reports received.
Whistle-blowing systems have also been established and operated individually at major Group companies, based on the local laws and regulations and other circumstances specific to each respective company.
In the 2025 compliance awareness survey (covering Japan and the Group globally), in response to the statement, “If you believe there has been, or may have been, a compliance violation, and you determine that it would be inappropriate to report or consult with your supervisor, will you contact the hotline?,” 84% of respondents answered “Yes” while 5% answered “No.”
Anti-Corruption
The Yamaha Motor Group has declared its commitment to anti-corruption in its Sustainability Basic Policy. Furthermore, in the Code of Ethics that stipulate the standards of behavior expected of employees and executives, we have declared our intention to limit the entertainment and exchange of presents with public officials and always maintain healthy and transparent relationships with them.
Yamaha Motor Group also signed the “United Nations Global Compact” that aims to eliminate corruption, and further explicitly prevents corruption in the “the Sustainability Guideline for Suppliers”, working together with the entire supply chain of Yamaha Motor Group to combat bribery.
To promote these initiatives more thoroughly at the global level, we have formulated the Yamaha Motor Group Anti-Bribery Policy and are pursuing activities in line with it.
Compliance with Anti-Monopoly Law and Competition Law
The Yamaha Motor Group has declared its commitment to executing its business with fairness and integrity in its Sustainability Basic Policy. Additionally, in the Code of Ethics that stipulate the standards of behavior expected of employees and executives, we have declared our intention to comply with antitrust and competition laws, refuse to pursue profits through dishonest or illegal means and engage in fair business practices.
Furthermore, “the Sustainability Guideline for Suppliers” explicitly states to comply with competition laws, working together with the entire supply chain of Yamaha Motor Group to pursue fair trade. Yamaha Motor Group established the “Yamaha Motor Group Competition Law Compliance Policy” to further promote these efforts on a global scale and pursues various activities.
The Yamaha Motor Group makes further efforts to prevent cartels and bid rigging by establishing and managing rules governing interaction and contacts with competitors. At the same time, through group training on laws and regulations, individual training for relevant personnel (particularly those at higher risk, such as employees scheduled for overseas assignments), and regular monitoring, we ensure thorough compliance with the Antimonopoly Act and other competition laws.
There were no significant legal violations, penalties, surcharges, etc. related to anti-monopoly law or competition law in 2025.
Thorough Import and Export Management
Compliance with the rules of international trade and import/export regulations in individual countries is indispensable to Yamaha Motor Group's global business activities. Since we are especially involved in activities that require security export controls, appropriate import and export declarations, freight security controls and controls on chemical substances contained in products, we have established the Trade Control Group Guidelines, based on which we establish regulations and by-laws, transfer information through liaison meetings and other means, provide regular and comprehensive training and perform monitoring.
As one aspect of training for those engaged in trade, we encourage employees to take the STC Associate*1 examinations and we have had successful candidates each year.
Furthermore, in the area of export and import control, we continue to implement various training programs and develop systems and frameworks globally to ensure proper customs declarations and the appropriate use of FTAs and EPAs*2.
- *1
- A practical accreditation exam for security trade control conducted by the Center for Information on Security Trade Control (CISTEC), a non-profit and non-governmental organization
- *2
- FTA(Free Trade Agreement)、EPA(Economic Partnership Agreement)
Ensuring the Thorough Execution of Certification Operations
In June 2024, we disclosed two inappropriate incidents that were discovered related to certification applications for motorcycles (Japanese specifications)*1. We take these incidents seriously and deeply regret them. To ensure such situations do not occur again, we conducted a thorough investigation and formulated countermeasures, which we reported to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT).
In addition to maintaining the recurrence preventive measures, we are committed to strengthening our certification operations to correspond to the revised and newly established regulations on vehicle type designation rules (MLIT notification on March 31, 2025).
Specifically, we have appointed Muraki Kenichi*2, a director from the board members to oversee and take control over the certification operations.
By enhancing the system for certification operations, we will continue to provide high-quality products that comply with regulations in various countries to our customers.
- *1
- In appropriate Handling of Motorcycle Testing and Certification Applications – News Release
- *2
- March 25, 2026: Appointed as Director; Appointed as Chief Certification Officer
Basic Tax Policy
The Yamaha Motor Group has established the following basic tax policy. The tax function of the head office is to carry out required tax duties in accordance with the company’s tax policy and report the status of its progress to the director in charge of the corporate planning and financial domains in a timely manner.
Based on the company’s basic tax policy, the tax function of the head office provides employees throughout the company and within the Yamaha Motor Group companies with appropriate guidance on taxation. The head office also works to maintain a governance system related to taxation across the group itself.
Aims
Contributing to the nation and society through tax payment is one of Yamaha Motor's management principles and is part of the company’s global implementation of social responsibility. In pursuit of this philosophy, Yamaha Motor Group companies always pay their taxes both correctly and in a timely manner.
Three Basic Elements
| Compliance with Tax-related Laws and Regulations | The Yamaha Motor Group complies with applicable tax-related laws and regulations in the countries and regions where it operates and conducts our business activities in line with international standards such as OECD transfer pricing guidelines. |
|---|---|
| Maintaining Transparency | Yamaha Motor will disclose tax payment information to stakeholders including tax authorities in a timely and appropriate manner. |
| Relationship with Tax Authorities | Yamaha Motor strives to establish and maintain appropriate relationships with the tax authorities based in each country.
Yamaha Motor endeavors to be fully accountable to ensure against any discrepancies with the tax authorities on individual matters. In the event of a differing viewpoint with an authority, Yamaha Motor will always take appropriate measures to solve any dispute, and in this way, maintain our business value. |
Structural framework to secure the above three elements
| Tax Governance System | Yamaha Motor positions tax governance as management responsibility for the director in charge of corporate planning and financial domains and gives corporate tax function its executive authority. The Yamaha Motor group companies and their employees receive appropriate guidance from the head office tax function as required and carry out business activities in accordance with Group Financial and Accounting Detailed Guidelines. |
|---|---|
| Tax Function Responsibilities | The head office tax function establishes and manages the tax governance system within the group based on this basic tax policy and monitors that business activities are properly conducted in accordance with this policy. |
| Business Activity Principles | Role and cost sharing among group companies are based on the beneficiary-to-pay principle. For regular transactions between group companies, we recommend the setting of transaction prices based on the arm’s length principle. Yamaha Motor does not use transactional structure that lack economic substance nor shift its profit to low-tax jurisdictions (so-called tax havens) , for the purpose of tax avoidance. |
| Double Taxation Avoidance | Through various activities aimed at avoiding double taxation, Yamaha Motor has established and maintains appropriate relations with tax authorities and works to optimize mid- and long-term tax related expenses. |
| Application of Preferential Tax Benefits | Yamaha Motor considers the applications of any preferential tax benefits and strives to optimize all tax-related expenses in the planning and promotion of its business activities. |
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