Food Labeling System in Japan_2013

Food Labeling SystemFood Labeling Systemin Japanin Japan

October 29 2013Consumer AffairsConsumer Affairs

Agency, Food Labeling Division

Copyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPAN

Published by National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, THAILAND

C ffConsumer Affairs Agency (CAA)Agency (CAA)

• An external organ ofAn external organ of the Cabinet Office

• Established on September 1 2009September 1, 2009

2



DivisionPrime MinisterPrime Minister

Minister of State for Consumer Affairs

General Affairs Division

Policy Coordination Divisionfor Consumer Affairs

Senior Vice-MinisterPolicy Planning andInternational Affairs Division

Parliamentary Secretaryof Cabinet Office

Consumer Information Division

Local Cooperation Division

CAACAASecretary General Consumer Safety Division

p

Deputy Secretary General

Director General (3)

Commercial Business andPrice Regulation Division

Counselor

Director General (3)

Food Labeling Division

Representation Division

3

Food Labeling Division



ContentsContents

Ⅰ．Overview of the Food Labeling System

Ⅱ．Main Items in Current Food Label

Ⅲ Perspective of a new Food Labeling LawⅢ．Perspective of a new Food Labeling Law

4



Ⅰ．Overview of the Food Labeling SystemSystem

5



Currents Acts Concerning Food Labeling in Japan

Food Labeling System

Currents Acts Concerning Food Labeling in JapanFood Sanitation Act・・・・・・・ prevents health harms caused by food insanitation.JAS・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ provides proper labeling on ingredients, origin and quality to consumers. Health Promotion Act・・・・・・ promotes the health of Japanese through improving nutrition intake, etc.

Relation of JAS, Food Sanitation Act, and Health Promotion Act

JAS Food N S k

An Example of Food Label

JAS Food Sanitation Act

Name of foodFood

Selection Food Safety

Name Snack

Ingredients potato (non GM), plant fat and oil, salt, dextrin, lactose, protein hydrolysate (including wheat), powdered yeast extract, powdered soy sauce, powdered fish extract (including crab and

Ingredients AllergyExpiration date

Instructions on keepingWeight

shrimp), flavors, seasoning (amino acid, etc.), egg shell calcium

Content Best-before date Labeling on the right sideStorage method

Keep away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture.

Country/Place of origin

Food additivesGMO

p g

Name of

g

*39 refers to unique processing facility code

Distributor

Health Promotion Act

manufacturers etc.

Main Nutritional Components per bag (81g) (private analysis)

Energy 483 kcalProtein 3.8 gFat 35.3 g

CarbohydrateSodium

Salt equivalence（e.g. Nutrition Labeling, food for special

dietary uses ）

6

*nutritional labeling is voluntary.

Salt equivalence



Establish quality labeling standards of all food andEstablish labeling standards of special use and JAS Health

Food Labeling StandardEstablish quality labeling standards of all food and beverages to be observed by manufacturers, etc.

Label of Food for Special Dietary Uses

nutrition facts for comprehensive promotion of citizens’ health .

Food for Specified Health Uses（Individual Approval Type）

Food for Special Dietary Uses

JASPromotion Act

Quality labeling standard for perishable food

Quality labeling standard for processed food

+=

（Individual Approval Type）

Need to indicate the health uses Need to indicate the special uses

for perishable food perishable food Food that are not processed such

as agricultural products (vegetables, fruits), livestock products (meet, eggs), marine products (fish shell)

for processed food

Foods that are altered from fresh foods through manufacturing process.

Nutrition Labeling

Voluntary labeling

（energy＋major nutrients＋

products (fish, shell).

Quality labeling standard for GM food

“GMO” needs to be indicated for every processed food or agricultural product such as soybean and corn that have been genetically modified,

Nutrient Function Claims（Standard Type）

（energy＋major nutrients＋others）

Provide standards of labeling of food and Food Sanitation

（12 Vitamins, 5 minerals）

additives supplied for sales.

Items subject to the Act

Act

Milk and such dairy products as butter, cheese, and ice cream etc.

・Margarine, soft drinks, meat products・Fish ham, fish sausages, whale bacon, frozen foods・Retort pouch foods・Meat、raw sliced or stripped seafoodMeat、raw sliced or stripped seafood・Packaged processed foods・Unpackaged raw meat

7Copyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPAN


• CAA is responsible to all kinds of administrative work regarding to labeling regulation regarding JAS, Food

Current Food Labeling System

Sanitation Act and Health Promotion Act.• CAA is also mandated to draft and introduce legislation regarding labeling standards.• CAA has fine collaboration with other relevant ministries and a commission for the enforcement

C CCAA

Legislation○ Provide advice

Consumers Commission

InquireConsult

○ Draft and introduce legislation regarding labeling standards

○ Provide advice before promulgation of a new standard.

Ministry of Request○ Inspect and deliberate about function and safety of foods for special dietary

ReplyMinistry of

Labor, Health and Welfare

Request

Enforcement foods for special dietary usesMinistry of

Agriculture, Forestry,

and Fisheries

Enforcement

○ On-site inspection, AdviseRequestand Fisheries

○ Commandment to operators

Request

Approval of Foods for Special Dietary Uses



Ⅱ． Main Items in Current Food LabelCurrent Food Label



生鮮食品の表示についてLabeling of Perishable Food

＜Labeling Information of Perishable Food＞

Name General name of the food

ONION FROM HOKKAIDO

1 PACK

Place of

Agricultural Foods

Domestic products: name of prefectureImport product: name of export country

LivestockFoods

Domestic products: indicate that it is domesticImport product: name of export country

of Origin

MarineFoods

Domestic products: indicate the region or area of the sea that it has been produced(in case that it is difficult to indicate the area of sea, it is allowed to use the name of prefecture that it has been unloaded) Import product: name of export country

At t il t d i i f f d h ld b i di t d b ithCLAM FROM KUMAMOTO

At retail stores, name and origin of food should be indicated by either

one of the following ways:

・ to label on an easy-to-see place of a package

・ to post a notice at a place close to the product

・ to display elsewhere that is easy to see



加工食品の表示について

＜Main items for labeling on a package of

Labeling of Processed Foods

Name・・・・

Ingredients・・・・

Processed Foods＞

Weight・・・・

Expiration date・・・・

Instructions on keeping・・・・

Name and address of manufacturer・・・・

Allergy information・・・・

Country of origin （imported case）・・・・

Origin of raw material・・・・

GMO・・・・

… STEW

Nutritional information・・・・

Mandatory Partially mandatory Voluntary



添加物表示について

○ As a principle, all additives used in the food are listed in “substance name”.

Labeling of Food Additives

Labeling Examples

○ As a principle, all additives used in the food are listed in substance name .

Ingredients： flour, sugar, vegetable oil (soybean included), egg, almond, butter, isomerized

glucose syrup, powdered skim milk, liqueur, starch, sorbitol, leavening

( ) ( )

Labeling of collective term

＜Exception＞

agent, flavor, emulsifier, colorings (caramel, carotene), antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C) Use listed together

Listing of AdditivesE ti f dditi i f ti

Collective t b

• Food additive often become effective when multiple additives are combined. • Thus, use of collective term is accepted as it will achieve the purpose of labeling for additives for which there is little need for listing all substance terms and because they are resident components in food.

i i li i d h h ddi i li d i h i d f h h

Flavor, yeast food, gum base, brine water, enzyme, gloss agent, acidulant, seasoning, tofu

gException for additives information

term can be used

• However, it is limited to the case when additives listed in the notice are used for purposes that meet the provided definition.

E.g.: “gum base” not for swallowing, “flavors” that are usually used in combination and the added amount is very small, and “amino acid” that is a resident component

acidulant, seasoning, tofu coagulant, bittering agent, emulsifier, pH adjuster, leavening agent, flexibilizer

Term for the When it is more likely to gain consumers’ understanding by listing purpose of use and effects of Preservative, sweetener, coloring,e o t epurpose listed

together

When it is more likely to gain consumers understanding by listing purpose of use and effects of additives in which consumers have much interest, they will be listed together.

E.g.: preservative sorbic acid), sweetener (saccharin sodium)

Preservative, sweetener, coloring, thickener, antioxidant, coloring substance, decolorant, fungicide

Labeling exempted Food additives that are not remaining in the final food or that have no effect or are not expected to have effects on the final food as it is in small quantity although it is remaining are exempt from labeling.

Processing aids, carryover, nutrition enriching substance



○ 8 kinds of agricultural products and their processed foods including GMO are required to notify, mandatorily, “GMO” or “ ” “ ”

遺伝子組換え食品の表示についてLabeling of GMO

“GMO is not separated”, and, voluntary, “non-GMO”.

＜How to label GMO product＞

「

＜8 Agricultural Products Required for GMO Labeling＞

「Soybean（GMO）」

「S b (GMO i t t d)」「Soybean (GMO is not separated)」・Soybean・Corn・PotatoAlf lf

＜How to label non-GMO product＞

「Soybean (non-GMO）」

「Soybean（non-GMO is sorted）」

・Alfalfa・Sugar beet・Rape seed・Cotton seedP

＜ p ＞

「Soybean（non-GMO is sorted）」

Name Miso (rice)Name Tofu

・Papaya

Examples

( )

Ingredients Soybean （non-GMO）,

・・・・・・

Weight ・・・・・・

・・・・・・・・・・

Ingredients Soybean （ GMO is not separated) ,

・・・・・・

Weight ・・・・・・

・・・・・・・・・



期限表示（消費期限・賞味期限）についてLabeling of Expiration Date （Used-by Date・Best Before Date)

Meaning Product Examples

Best Before

Best-to-Eat Period

Period that the overall expected quality can sufficiently retain

Snack, cup ramen, can

Best Before Date

p q y yif preserved properly.

However, the quality can still retain even after that period.

Lunch box, sandwich, side dish

Used-byDate

Should not eat after the period

Period that the food safety, i.e. not rotten nor deteriorate, is guaranteed if preserved properly.

, ,

＜Image of Best Before Date and Used-by Date＞

Long lasting food Best-to-eat period

quality

Easily-rotten foodStill eatable

Should not eat after this period

Used-by Date Days after manufactured

Best before Date

after this period

14Copyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPANPublished by National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, THAILAND

Ⅲ． Perspective of a new Food Labeling LawLabeling Law

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一元化の必要性及び経緯

How can we make food labels easier to understand?

Context of integration of laws regarding food label

The present food labeling system is regulated by many laws. Iss es in

(multiple selection)

77.1表示に用いる言葉は統一して、わかりや

すく整理して欲しいUnify terminologies and simplify labels

Issues in… Inconsistency of terminologiesComplication from diversified regulations

34.2

42.1

できるだけ多くの情報を記載して欲しい

文字が小さくて見えにくいので、もっと大き

くして欲しい

Put information as much as possible

Enlarge the font size. Current one is too small and hard to read

• misunderstandings of consumers2 8

15.2

その他

食品に記載される情報が多すぎるため、

商品選択に最も資する情報に限定して記

載して欲しい

possible

Limit information to those that are useful for selection, for currently there are too much

information on the food products.

lead to

misunderstandings of consumers• loading manufactures with additional

compliance cost

2.8

0 20 40 60 80

その他N=1,807

From “Survey of Consumer Sentiment toward Food Labeling”, Life Quality Monitoring （％）

Others

In September 2009, the Japanese Government established the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA).CAA is responsible for all laws and regulations regarding food labeling, based on Food Sanitation Act, JAS and Health Promotion Act

Survey in 2008, conducted by Cabinet Office, Department of Life Quality

JAS, and Health Promotion Act.

It enables integrated operations for consumer administration regarding food labeling conducted at different ministries

16

In July 2011, Consumer Master Plan was promulgated. It attempts to introduce integrated food labeling laws within the fiscal year 2012.

Copyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPANPublished by National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, THAILAND

F d S it ti A tJapan Agricultural

H lth P ti A t

Current Laws regarding Food Labeling

Food Sanitation Actp gStandard Act*

Health Promotion Act

【Purpose】• To prevent the sanitation hazards resulting from eating and drinking

【 Purpose 】• To improve quality of agricultural and forestry products

【 Purpose 】• To improve nutritional status and promote healthresulting from eating and drinking forestry products

•To help consumers choose products by enforcing proper quality labeling of them

promote health

•Establishment of the necessary criteria for the labeling of food to serve for the purpose of marketing (Article 19)

• Enactment of labeling standards to be observed by Manufacturer, etc. (Article 19-13)

• Compliance with Standards for

• Enactment of nutrition labeling standards (Article 31)

• Compliance with Standards

Concern

food labe( )

• Enforcing the regulations concerning Food and Additi A t d C t i

pQuality Labeling (Article 19-13-2) (Article 31-2)

etc.

ning eling

Additives, Apparatus and Containers and Packaging

• Prohibition of the sales for the products which do not conform to the standards and/or criteria

• Enactment of Japanese Agricultural Standards G di i d i h

• Set a general policies• Implementation of the national health and nutrition survey

• Prevention of passive smoking• License pertaining to Food for

Other

concerns

•Giving approval to a person who intends to conduct business from the prefectural governor

• Grading in accordance with Japanese Agricultural Standards

etc.

• License pertaining to Food for Special Dietary Uses

etc.

*A t St d di ti d P Q lit L b li f A i lt l d F t P d t

17

*Act on Standardization and Proper Quality Labeling of Agricultural and Forestry Products



食品表示法の概要平成25年６月消費者庁Scope of the new Food Labeling Act （promulgated in June 2013）

In order to secure the food safety and ensure general consumers spontaneous and rational food choicesrational food choices,a comprehensive and integrated framework which is to coordinate all regulations regarding food labeling stipulated in Food Sanitation Acts, JAS, and Health Promotion Act is established.（A mandatory framework of the present voluntary nutrition labeling system is also planned to be established.)

Consistent labelling standards

Easy-to-understand labels both for consumers and manufucturesasy to u de sta d abe s bot o co su e s a d a u uctu es

Health promotion through daily management of diet and nutrition intakes

Effective and efficient enforcement of relevant laws

18

ect e a d e c e t e o ce e t o e e a t a s



Summary of the Food Labelling Act

Objectives

○Objectives （Article 1）・Safety of food consumption・Guarantee of the opportunity that consumers have in selecting food products independently and rationally○Fundamental Rationale（Article 3）・Respect of consumers’ rights and support of consumers’ independency ・Consideration of small enterprises in the food‐related industry

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Food Labelling Standard


The Prime Minister shall determine the food labeling

Food Labelling Standard（Article 4）

standard① Name, allergen, preservation, use by d d dd d l fdate, ingredients, additives, amount and calories of nutrition, places of origin, and other matters that h ld b d dshould be indicated

② The standard that food‐related business operators h ld l h l b ll h dshould comply with in labelling the product

Compliance with the StandardCompliance with the Standard

Food‐related business operators shall have an bli i l b l f d l i i h h d d

（Article 5）

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obligation to label food, complying with the standardCopyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPAN


Instructions and orders


○Prime Minister (all kinds), Minister of A i lt F t d Fi h i ( ll ki d th th

Instructions and orders（Articles 6, 7）

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (all kinds other than alcoholic beverages), Minister of Finance (alcoholic b )beverages) ‐ An instruction expressing matters that are and are to be i di t d h ll b i d t t h i l t thindicated shall be issued to an operator who violates the standard ○P i Mi i t I th f li ith○Prime Minister ～In the case of non‐compliance with the instruction, order○P i Mi i t I th f t it○Prime Minister ～ In the case of urgent necessity, an order of withdrawal of food or termination of business○I t ti d d h ll b d bli l

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○Instructions and orders shall be made publiclyCopyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPAN



On-site Inspection（Articles 8-10）

Where an investigation of violations is necessary, ～ on‐site inspection, collection of report, an order of submitting documents, questioning, removal

22




Report to the Prime Minister （Articles 11, 12）

○ Where a food label is inappropriate, violating consumers’ rights, all persons may ～ report to the Prime Minister and others

The Prime Ministers and others shall make necessary investigations. Where the report is true, necessary measures shall be taken.○ The rights to demand an injunction where indicated contents are or may be clearly false （Qualified consumer organization ～Similar to Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, Premium Labelling Act）

23




Penal provisions （Articles 17-23）

Penal provisions in the case of violations of the food labelling standard (indication about safety places oflabelling standard (indication about safety, places of origin of ingredients and raw materials), violations of orders and otherorders and other

Supplementary provisions

○ effective date ～ shall be effective no late than○ effective date shall be effective no late than two years after the date of promulgation

24



食品表示法制定に伴う表示基準の移行について（イメージ）食品表示法制定に伴う表示基準の移行について（イメージ）Overview of the new Food Labeling Act

Food Sanitation Act ＪＡＳHealth Promotion

ActThe new Food Labeling Law

Act

Cabinet Office Ordinance Nutrition labeling standards （notice）

・NameI di

Quality labeling standards for processed food （notice）

・Name

Food labeling standards（Cabinet Office Ordinance）

・Name・Used-by date, Best before dateM f t d

・Nutritional value labeling

・Nutrition claims

・Ingredients・Weights・Used-by date, Best before date・Preservation・Place of Origin （import product）・Place of Origin of ingredients （required

Name・Origin（perishables）・Ingredients・Allergen・GMO labelingAdditi・Manufacturer name and

address ・Additives・Allergy labeling・Instruction on keeping

etc.

g g qproducts）

・Manufacturer name and address・Font size for labeling etc.

Quality labeling standards for

・Additives・Weights・Used-by date, best before date・ Instruction on keeping・Place of Origin

etc.・Name・Origin etc.

perishable foods （notice）

Quality labeling standards for GMO d （）

（import product）・Place of Origin of ingredients・Manufacturer name and address

・Items for nutrition labeling, and

・labeling required items, how to label etc.

GMO products（notice）Items for nutrition labeling, and instruction for the labeling

・Font size for labelingetc.

25



T

食品表示法のスキーム

Fc V In O POn

Scheme of the Food Labelling Act

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Where there is urgente stan

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tc.

Where there is urgent necessity to prevent the harms to life and bodies

rd.

ation to

・violations of indication about safety

26

violations of indication about safety・false indication of the place of origin



Double track in monitoring food labelling

A suit by consumer organization (a demand for injunction) The report system

Where a food label is inappropriate, violating consumers’

Existence of victims who are consumers (violations of the food labelling standard)

The non-judicial negotiation by qualified consumer Improvement of rights, all persons may reportThe non judicial negotiation by qualified consumer organizations

Non-judicial reconciliation

Improvement of business

An investigation by the Prime Minister

A written demand to relevant operators by qualified consumer organizations

Improvement of and othersOne week of the grace period

Filing of a suit by qualified consumer organizations

Improvement of business

If the report is true, appropriate measures shall be taken, which include, among others,

h i i i di i ifi i

Judgment, judicial reconciliationImprovement of business

27

・the instruction indicating rectification to food-related business operators・revision of the standard

publication



F The timing of introduction of the 25.6 Until 27.6

２５．９．２０財務省主税局説明資料

Timeline for implementation of a new food labelling system (proposal）

Deliberati

Draft the

legislation

Food Labellin

Enforcem

Promulga

Introduce legislatio No late than two years

mandatory food labelling will be determined based on the progress of the environmental improvement,while aiming to approx. five years after the enforcement of the newion

nng Act

CaimFo

ment

ation

the on

C

No late than two years

P

after the enforcement of the new law.

Draft of the order

abinet order onmplem

entation od Labeling

Ac

Enforc

Completion

Disseminating period

Period of transitional

Promulgatio

Mandato

Draft of the standard

n of ct

CabinetOrdinan

Labeling

cementProm

of transitio

1‐2 yrs（P）indicated separatedly

measures

Disseminating period

on ory Nutritiont O

ffice nce on Food g Regulations

mulgation

nseparatedly

Deliberation on the mandatory nutrition labeling

n Labeling

Other m

Further Issues:

28

matters

・ Labelling on ready‐to‐eat food and in a restaurant (e.g. labelling for food allergy), and in the Internet sales・ Labelling of genetically modified food and food adictives・ Labelling of country of origin for the ready‐to‐eat foodCopyright 2013 by CAA, JAPAN


For further Information of the Food Labeling System

LAN

D

CAA Homepage「食品表示に関する制度」 (Food Labeling System) n

dard

s, T

HA

IL

http://www.caa.go.jp/foods/index.html食品表示に関する制度」 (Food Labeling System)

（Mostly Japanese only）

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Cop

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Lastly

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

30Official mascot of Consumer Affairs AgencyCopyright 2013 by Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of JAPAN


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Food Labeling System in Japan_2013