The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan is now requiring home appliance manufacturers to report serious accidents caused by their products, according to a report by Asashi Shimbun on Monday.

In the wake of serious accidents involving home electrical products, the ministry hopes to prevent further injuries by making manufacturers more responsible.

Failure to report an accident could lead to 1million yen fine ($8,312), and also if the case is serious, company executives can be sent to jail up to one year.

When receiving a report, the ministry will decide whether to announce the name of the manufacturer and product in question to the public, according to the report.

Accidents that could lead to public alerts include times when customers are killed or suffer serious injuries, physical disabilities, carbon monoxide poisoning, or the when the device causes a fire.

The new law took effect on Monday.

Medicine Safety Japan