Aim
In recent years the following issues have been raised in Japan with
regard to the food labelling and food standard system.
The needs of consumers have increased as their tastes and values
have become widely varied and as they wish to choose their products on the basis of their
own judgment.Production and distribution of food in new fields such as organic food has
increased.Therefore consumers and related businesses are asking for a unified labelling
standard.As for the international arena, following the conclusion of WTO agreements,
alignment of national food standard and certification system with the Codex standards is
called for.Further promotion of deregulation and private sector initiatives are necessary.
In answer to these issues, based on a report of the JAS (Japanese
Agricultural Standard) Research Committee which started a review in September 1997, and on
opinions gathered from a broad section of the population, the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries published a report in December 1998 entitled "Outline of the
Reform of Agricultural Policy". This report aims, inter alia, to take consumers'
opinions into serious consideration, and to improve the system of food labelling, revising
the JAS standards and certification system, and rationalizing the labelling of organic
food products.
Accordingly, the Japanese government introduced a Bill at the
following ordinary session of the Diet in March 1999. The Bill aims to reform the
so-called JAS law: "Law concerning standardization and proper labelling of
agricultural and forestry products", which deals with standards for quality labels
for food products and the Japanese Agricultural Standard (the so-called "JAS"
mark standards).
Apart from this, respective committees composed of consumers,
manufacturers, distributors and experts, have been established to discuss the labelling of
genetically modified food and the labelling of the place of origin of raw materials in
processed food (labelling of the place of origin under the current JAS law only applies to
fresh foods). These committees are currently holding separate sessions concerning the
workings of the system.
* Note: The JAS system consists of two different schemes. The
first of these comprises compulsory labelling standards, which obliges manufacturers to
present certain information, such as product name and ingredients, to consumers. The
second is voluntary, leaving it to the discretion of producers to guarantee the quality of
production practices.
Brief outline of the Bill
Further improvement of food labelling
The revision of the aims to expand substantially the coverage of the
obligatory labelling system and to establish food labelling standards which cover all
foods, food stuffs and beverages distributed to the general public as well as a scheme for
labelling the place of origin which covers all fresh foods.
So far, food labelling standards have been applied only to 64 items
and the scheme for labelling of the place of origin has been applied to only 9 vegetables.
* Note: The items indicated on the labels of processed food
include product name, name of the raw materials, content volume, name of the manufacturer,
"best before" date, and preservation method. The items indicated on the labels
for fresh food include product name and place of origin..
Inspection, certification and label standards of organic food
products
The inappropriate label "organic" has been overused, as no
unified inspection and certification system for organic food products has been
established. Under the revised system standards for organic food products will be newly
laid down in conformity with Codex standards. Based on these standards, a third-party
certification organisation will inspect and verify processes of manufacturing or
production in farms identified as growing organic products, and then award certification
to the producers. Under this system, only products that have been subjected to appropriate
inspection and certification procedures may be distributed to the general public under the
label "organic food" (other products cannot carry this label).
Imported organic foods can be distributed on the Japanese market
under the label "organic food" provided that they have been inspected and
certified under a system similar to the Japanese one.
Revision of the JAS standard system
Introduction of a periodic review system and alignment with
international standards
A new system will be introduced which obliges the government to
review the existing standards every five years, so that standards that have become
obsolete are abolished in due course. A new provision will be made which clearly
stipulates that due consideration be given to international standards when a new standard
is drawn up.
Introduction of devices for grading by manufacturers
A new system will be introduced which authorises manufacturers to
grade their own products and put the JAS mark on them, without going through grading
procedures by registered grading organisations, provided that the manufacturers have been
qualified by registered certification organisations who inspect and certify the quality of
their products and the conformity to the standards.
Organic Restaurant
"California Club" in Tokyo Downtown
Please
Click here
