Japan Wire Color Code (JIS C0446, VVF): Black / White / Green & How It Compares to China, EU, US
In Japan's single-phase 100V indoor wiring, the JIS C0446 convention is: black = Live (L), white = Neutral (N), green = protective Earth (PE). For ,smet 200V single-phase 3-wire systems, blalartck and red are the two Live conductors and white is Neutral. The mainstream household cable is VVF flat sheathed cable. These are conventions, not guarantees — always confirm with a voltage tester before touching any conductor.
About this guide. HuaCable is a PV / solar DC cable manufacturer (TÜV + CE) serving projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. This page is a general AC building-wire color-code reference for engineers, contractors and buyers who work across markets. It does not claim HuaCable produces VVF or building wire; for our actual product line, see the PV cable guides linked at the end.
Japan Single-Phase 100V Wiring (JIS C0446)
The Japanese Industrial Standard JIS C0446 defines the recommended conductor identification colors for low-voltage AC wiring. For a standard single-phase 100V residential circuit:
Conductor | Function | JIS C0446 color | Japanese term |
|---|---|---|---|
Live | L (line / hot) | Black | ライブ (raibu) |
Neutral | N | White | ニュートラル (nyūtoraru) |
Protective Earth | PE | Green | アース (āsu) |
Japanese homes overwhelmingly use VVF (flat sheathed cable) for these branch circuits — it is the standard low-voltage household wiring cable.
Japan 200V Single-Phase 3-Wire
Many Japanese households and small businesses also run a single-phase 3-wire 200V supply (e.g. for air conditioners and IH cooktops). The color convention changes for the two hot legs:
Conductor | Function | Color |
|---|---|---|
Live 1 | L1 (hot) | Black |
Live 2 | L2 (hot) | Red |
Neutral | N | White |
Protective Earth | PE | Green |
What Is VVF Cable?
VVF (Flat sheathed wire) is the mainstream Japanese flat sheathed cable used for indoor low-voltage wiring — typically two or three cores inside a flat PVC sheath. It is the cable you will most often meet when working on Japanese residential or light-commercial installations.
⚠ Two different color worlds. The VVF building-wiring convention above is not the same as the color code used for equipment / appliance internal wiring. Internal wiring inside devices may follow different markings. Keep the two separate when you document or label a system.
AC Single-Phase Wire Color Codes: Japan vs China vs EU vs North America
The color code for AC single-phase wiring is not universal. A buyer, installer or inspector moving between markets must re-learn the convention each time. The table below is the at-a-glance reference (conventions only — verify with a tester):
Region | Standard basis | Live (L) | Neutral (N) | Earth (PE) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan (100V 1φ) | JIS C0446 | Black | White | Green | 200V 1φ3W: black + red = two Live, white = Neutral. Mainstream VVF cable. |
China (220V 1φ) | GB 50303 (national wiring practice) | Yellow / Green / Red | Light blue | Green-Yellow (bi-color) | Green-yellow must only be used for Earth; never for Live or Neutral. |
EU (IEC) | EN / IEC 60445 | Brown | Blue | Green-Yellow (bi-color) | CPR cables follow this code uniformly; DC solar cables are a separate case. |
North America (US/CA, 120V) | NEC | Black | White | Green / bare copper | Older installs may use red for a second Live; white is fixed as Neutral. |
Japan (100V single-phase)
JIS C0446: black = Live, white = Neutral, green = Earth. Single-phase 3-wire 200V uses black and red as the two Live conductors with white Neutral; Japanese homes rely heavily on VVF flat sheathed cable.
China (220V single-phase)
National wiring practice: Live is typically yellow, green or red; Neutral is light blue; Earth is the green-yellow bi-color, which is reserved exclusively for protective earth and must never be used as Live or Neutral.
European Union (IEC system)
EN / IEC 60445: brown = Live, blue = Neutral, green-yellow = Earth. Low-voltage cables placed on the EU market under CPR follow this code; PV DC cables follow their own separate standards.
North America (NEC, US & Canada, 120V)
Convention: black = Live, white = Neutral, green or bare copper = Earth. Some older installations use red as an additional Live conductor.
Key Safety Rules (Read Before You Touch Anything)
Never identify a conductor by color alone. Older or non-compliant installations may ignore the standard. A black wire is not automatically Live everywhere, and a green wire is not automatically Earth.
Use a tester every time. Confirm Live / Neutral / Earth with a properly rated voltage tester or multimeter before cutting, stripping or connecting.
JIS C0446 is advisory. It is a recommended color standard, not a universally enforced rule on every legacy building in Japan.
Separate the two color worlds. Building VVF wiring colors and equipment / appliance internal wiring colors are not the same system.
When in doubt, de-energize. Lock out / tag out and verify zero energy before working.
Common Confusions
Confusion | Clarification |
|---|---|
"Black is always Live" | True in Japan & North America, but false in the EU (EU Live = brown) and China (Live = yellow/green/red). |
"White is always Neutral" | True in Japan & North America; China uses light blue, EU uses blue for Neutral. |
"Green-yellow is international" | Green-yellow PE is IEC/EU/China convention, but Japan uses plain green for Earth and North America uses green or bare copper. |
"Color proves a wire is safe to touch" | No. Always verify with a tester — color is a convention, not a guarantee. |
Related PV Cable Guides (HuaCable)
H1Z2Z2-K (TÜV + CE, EN 50618, DC 1.5kV): see our H1Z2Z2-K selection guide.
PV1-F (TÜV 2 PfG 1169 only, DC 1.8kV): see our PV1-F selection guide.
IEC 62930 (TÜV only, DC 1.5kV): see our IEC 62930 selection guide.
MC4 connector (CE): see our MC4 connector guide.
FAQ
What are the wire colors for Japan single-phase 100V?
Per JIS C0446 convention for Japanese single-phase 100V indoor wiring: black = Live (L), white = Neutral (N), green = protective Earth (PE). Japanese homes commonly use VVF flat sheathed cable for this wiring.
What wire colors are used for Japan 200V single-phase 3-wire?
In a Japanese single-phase 3-wire 200V system, black and red are the two Live (hot) conductors and white is the Neutral. Green remains the protective Earth.
Is JIS C0446 mandatory in Japan?
JIS C0446 is a recommended (advisory) color standard, not a strict legal rule enforced on every old installation. Older buildings may not follow it. You must confirm the actual state of a circuit with a voltage tester — never trust color alone.
What is VVF cable?
VVF (flat sheathed cable) is the mainstream low-voltage household wiring cable in Japan. It is the common cable type used for indoor branch circuits. Do not confuse building VVF wiring color conventions with the separate color codes used inside appliance or equipment internal wiring.
How do Japanese wire colors compare with China, the EU and North America?
Japan (100V): black Live, white Neutral, green Earth. China (220V): yellow/green/red Live, light blue Neutral, green-yellow PE. EU (IEC 60445): brown Live, blue Neutral, green-yellow PE. North America (NEC, 120V): black Live, white Neutral, green/bare-copper Earth. All are conventions — verify with a tester before working on any circuit.
Can I identify a live wire just by its color?
No. Color codes differ by country and era, and older or non-compliant installations may ignore them. Always use a proper voltage tester / multimeter to confirm Live, Neutral and Earth before touching any conductor.
Engineer's Conclusion
Japan's single-phase 100V wiring is clean in principle — black Live, white Neutral, green Earth under JIS C0446, with black + red carrying the two hots on 200V 3-wire systems and VVF as the everyday cable. But the moment you cross a border, the colors shift: brown/blue in the EU, yellow-green-red in China, black/white/green in North America. The one rule that never changes is to verify with a tester, never by color. Treat every color code on this page as a convention to plan with, not a guarantee to trust.
Where to go next
Need region-compliant PV / solar DC cables? See our H1Z2Z2-K (TÜV + CE), PV1-F (TÜV) and IEC 62930 (TÜV) selection guides.
Request a quotation for your project specs (cross-section, length, XLPE/XLPO).
Get the sample catalogue (TÜV / CE PV cable datasheets, 1.5–6 mm²).
Regional contact — tell us your market (Germany / UAE / Saudi / Egypt / Kenya / Vietnam / Thailand / Indonesia) and we'll route you to the right channel.
Author: Engineer Chan · HuaCable technical team
10 years in wire & cable manufacturing; EN 50618 / TÜV PV cable experience.
All wire-color references on this page are conventions for planning only; the actual state of any circuit must be confirmed with a tester and local electrical code before work begins.
