JapanFood
GENERAL

Population:

126.71 million (2017) / 126.93 million (2016)

Population Pyramide:

Private households:

53.33 million (2015)

Food self-sufficiency:

In FY 2016, the self-sufficiency rate was 100 % for rice, 12 % for wheat, 8 %for beans, 80 % for vegetables, 41 % for fruits, 53 % for meats, and 56 % forseafood. Japan relied almost entirely on imports for the supply of wheat andbeans.

Value of manufactured food shipments:
28'102 billion yen1 (2015)

1 1 CHF = 114 JPY as of January 15, 2020

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Food services and drinking places:590’847 establishments in operation in 2016 / 620,000 (2014)
Food import:

Source: Statistical Handbook of Japan2

REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTNON-LIBERALIZED ITEMSIn general, any type of food can be exported to Japan as long as it is verified to be safe for humanhealth. From Switzerland and Liechtenstein, beef had been banned because of BSE since 2001, but
Japan lifted the ban on imports of beef (raw meat) in 2016.3 Some fresh fruits are still banned due toMediterranean fruit fly4. Import quotas are imposed on certain fish products. Wild plants, animals
protected by the Washington convention including products made of them cannot be exported to Japan.

JAPANESE IMPORTER

There is no license for food import; anyone can therefore import foods except for alcoholic beverages.
Those who import and wholesale/retail beverages containing 1 % or more alcohol require a liquor
vendors’ license.
2 Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication,

https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/pdf/2018all.pdf
3 http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/news/eligible-bse-country.html
4 List of the import prohibited plants:

http://www.pps.go.jp/english/law/list2.html

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STEP 1: PRODUCT ANALYSISFirst, the Swiss exporter should check if the product complies with the Japanese regulations.
To verify this, the following information will be useful to Swiss exporters:

General information on Japanese food safety administration:
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/
Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues in Food
https://www.ffcr.or.jp/en/positive-list-system---exempted-substances.htmlFood additives permitted for use in food
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/foodadditives/index.html

Inspection result statements provided by Swiss official laboratories are also valid. The list of laboratories
is available on http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/importedfoods/1-10.html

STEP 2: MARKET ANALYSISIn order to be successful, the Swiss exporter must understand the Japanese market and create clear
competitive advantages. This involves understanding the customers, competitors and the distribution
channels. Swiss Business Hub Japan will help the Swiss exporter get necessary information andprovide suggested next steps.

STEP 3: BUSINESS PARTNER SEARCH

Based upon the findings from the Step 2, establish a profile of the qualified business partner(importer/distributor) approach the identified potential partners, meet them and enter into a partnershipwith the chosen one to start business.
Swiss Business Hub Japan will gladly help through every step the Swiss exporter to succeed.

STEP 4: PROCEDURES TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE JAPANESE PARTNER
INSPECTION PROCEDURES

In order to ensure the food safety, every type of food product must pass a food sanitation inspection
and a customs inspection. Furthermore, products such as meat, fish and fresh fruits/vegetables must
be inspected in addition at each respective quarantine station as shown below:

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Figure 1: Principal Quarantine and Inspection Procedures:

FRUITS AND
VEGETABLESANIMALQUARANTINEPLANT
QUARANTINE
FOOD SANITATIONINSPECTIONCUSTOMS
INSPECTIONMEATS ANDMEATPRODUCTSFISHERY
PRODUCTSOTHERPROCESSED
FOOD

Required
Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

For Food Sanitation Inspection, the importer must submit a “Notification Form for Importation of Food”
to the Quarantine Station at the port of entry. Having examined submitted documents, the Japanese
authorities will determine whether further inspection is required or not. The food product can only be
imported into Japan once it passes all the required inspections.

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Figure 2: Flowchart of Food Import Procedures of Japan

Source: JETRO Japan External Trade Organization, www.jetro.go.jp

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Figure 3: Procedure required under the Food Sanitation Law

Source: JETRO Japan External Trade Organization, www.jetro.go.jp
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An import notification is required5 for all foods including food additives, apparatus for food (e.g. knives),
food container-packaging as well as toys for infants that are imported for commercial purposes6.
With regard to the import notification procedure, the importer is recommended to utilize a consultation
service provided by food sanitation inspectors well in advance. For the importer to make an inquiry tothe authorities, the following information and sample are required:



Ingredients
Country of origin
Composition
Names, quantity and purposes of use of additives, if any
Manufacturing or processing method (e.g. pasteurization or extraction methods described indetail)Container-packages (materials, form, coloring, etc.)
Unopened sample

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Import Procedure under Food Sanitation Law:LABELING

Every kind of food products sold in Japan has to meet the legal labeling requirements. Below are twoof the major laws related to food labeling:
REGULATIONCOMPETENT AGENCY

SCOPE

Food Sanitation Law

Ministry of Health, Labour andWelfare
Labeling for Food Additives

Protection of health (best before date, ingredients(food allergen) listing, etc.)

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/foodadditives/index.html
Labeling for GMO

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/dna/index.html
Labeling for nutrition, health claims, special dietary use
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/fhc/index.html

JAS Law (JapaneseAgricultural Standards)

Responsible for attaching the required labeling:
Seller
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry andQuality labeling to ensure a certain quality ofFishery
foods and drinks made by a specificmanufacturing method (e.g. organic)
Organic JAS

http://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/standard/jas/specific/organic.html
Responsible for attaching the required labeling to imported food:Importer

5 When the same product is imported repeatedly, there is no need to file an import notification every time under

the Planned Import System which presupposes that the product must absolutely be identical and the importer has
been importing the same product continuously, and has never violated the relevant regulations for the past threeyears.
6 This includes provision importing such products as a gift (e.g. corporate gifts, giveaways) to anonymous,unidentifiable and/or large number of recipients.
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Food Labeling Standard

Consumer Affairs Agency
http://www.caa.go.jp/en/
Food with health claims
In April 2015, a new health claim labeling for food system has been introduced.
Before the change, only such foods that were individually approved by the government
were allowed to have functional claims on labels. Since 2015, manufacturers andimporters can submit a notification including scientific evidences verifying that they meetthe necessary requirements and then make function claims on food labels
http://www.caa.go.jp/foods/pdf/151224_2.pdf
Further information on the Japanese food labeling rules also by CAA
http://www.caa.go.jp/en/ (See under Food Labeling)

RECENT TRENDS

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Organic food and beverages
Halal foodFrozen foods and ready-made meals
CheeseMeat substitutes, Protein, Low carb

AUTHORITIESNAMECONTACTADDRESSMinistry of Health, Labor and Welfare ofJapan (MLHW)

Tel: +81-3-5253-1111

Kasumigaseki 1-2-2, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-8916

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry andFisheries of Japan (MAFF)

Tel: +81-3-3502-8111

Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications (MIAC)

Tel: +81-3-5253-5111

Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry (METI)

Tel: +81-3-3501-1511

Consumer Affairs Agency

Tel: +81-3-3507-8800

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/
Kasumigaseki 1-2-1, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-8950

http://www.maff.go.jp/
Kasumigaseki 2-1-2, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-8950

http://www.soumu.go.jp/
Kasumigaseki 1-3-1, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-8901

http://www.meti.go.jp/
Nagatacho 2-11-1, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, 100-6178

http://www.caa.go.jp/

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Tel: +81-3-6234-1166
Fax: +81-3-3584-7390

Food Safety Commission of Japan

Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Tel: +81-3-3582-5511

Akasaka 5-2-20, 22F, Minato-ku
Tokyo, 107-6122

http://www.fsc.go.jp/
Akasaka 1-12-32, Minato-ku
Tokyo, 107-6006

http://www.jetro.go.jp/

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
Chocolate and Cocoa Association ofJapan

http://www.chocolatecocoa.com/english/index.html

All Japan Coffee Association

http://coffee.ajca.or.jp/english

Japan Import Food Trading
Association

http://www.jifta.org/hp/

JAPAN WINES AND SPIRITSIMPORTERS' ASSOCIATION

https://youshu-yunyu.org/english/index.html

WINE IMPORTERS ASSOCIATION
OF JAPAN

http://importers-wine.jp/

Wine and Spirits Culture
Association

http://www.sakuraaward.com/en/supporter.html

The Japan Imported Cheese
Promotion Association

http://www.jic.gr.jp/

TRADESHOWS
FoodexHealth Ingredients Japan

Wine and Gourmet JapanTokyo (Makuhari)Tokyo

http://www.hijapan.info/eng/index.php
Concurrently held with Food ingredients forTaste Japan andSafety & Technology Japan 2018

Tokyo

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https://www.jma.or.jp/foodex/en/

http://www.wineandgourmetjapan.com/

Concurrently held with Food And Beverage
Great Expo and Dessert Sweets & Bakery
Festival, Food and Drink OEM Matching Expo,
Japan Meat Industry Fair, etc.
Gourmet & Dining Style ShowTokyo

http://www.gourmetdiningstyleshow.com/22gdsen/

https://www.jma.or.jp/hcj/en/
Hoteres JapanTokyo

Concurrently held with Caterex Japan and Japan
Food Service Equipment Show

Agri-food ExpoOsaka

https://www.agri-foodexpo.com/english/

Health Food ExpoTokyo

http://www.healthfoodexpo.jp/eng/

Wellness Food JapanTokyo

http://www.wfjapan.com/en/

Organic Expo JapanTokyo

https://organic-expo.jp/en/

Drink Japan

http://www.drinkjapan.jp/en/Home/

Market entry recommendations:

The Japanese food and beverage market is extremely diversified.7 In the past, Swiss Business Hub
Japan created market studies for Swiss exporters of food products as follows:

The Japanese Cheese Market.Opportunities and Challenges (2011)
Swiss Wine in Japan, Challenges and Solutions (2013)
Health & Functional Food in Japan (2014)

These studies were intended to be used by Swiss SMEs as a practical marketing guide and suchmarketing-related information is still valid today. They can be e-mailed upon request.
JETRO, Japan External Trade Organization, provides the following market report online for free. They
are all published in 2011 and available in English and French.

7 https://www.jma.or.jp/foodex/en/trends/today.html

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
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"Coffee""Spices and Herbs""Nuts""Dried Fruits""Cereals" (812KB"Vegetables, Fruits, and Processed Products""Alcoholic Beverages""Soft Drinks""Seafood and Processed Products""Health Foods and Dietary Supplement"

https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/reports/market/

Packaging is also as important in terms of functionality (e.g.
easy to open), food safety and esthetics as the quality of foodproduct itself.
http://total-package.jp/case/200057

https://www.lotte.co.jp/products/column/vol3.html

It is essential to obtain in-depth market knowledge and understand what specifically makes a foreigncompany successful in Japan.
Then prepare your product(s) specifically for the Japanese market (e.g. size of the product, seasonalchanging packaging).
To demonstrate your commitment to the Japanese market and build trust, participate strategically in
key trade shows taking place in Japan.

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This factsheet contributes to SBHJ’s mission to provide Swiss small and medium sized enterprises with
first basic information on the Japanese market.
Swiss Business Hub Japan offers customized solutions to Swiss exporters. As this factsheet provides
only very basic information on the Japanese food and beverage market in general, we invite Swissexporters to talk to us to discuss their goals and strategies in depth.
We support you through every step of the exporting process, please contact:
Swiss Business Hub Japan
Trade Promotion
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan
5-9-12, Minami Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8589
tok.sbhjapan@eda.admin.ch

Hanna Makino

Yumiko Kijima

Hanna.makino@eda.admin.ch

Yumiko.kijima@eda.admin.ch

T + 81 3 5449 8432
+ 41 58 480 04 69
Claudio Mazzucchelli

Naoko Wada

T + 81 3 5449 8424
+ 41 58 480 15 68

naoko.wada@eda.admin.chclaudio.mazzucchelli@eda.admin.ch

T + 81 3 5449 8434
+ 41 58 480 04 90

T + 81 3 5449 8442
+41 58 480 01 28

New trends and business opportunities in Japan
https://www.linkedin.com/company/swiss-business-hub-japan/

Date:Tokyo, 15.01.2020

Author:Swiss Business Hub Japan

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Disclaimer
While this report is intended to provide an overview of this specific market and its opportunities at the time of its
edition, each individual company or organization may have to conduct its own analysis to get a better understandingof the opportunities and possibilities available to them. You are encouraged to explore and develop your chances
and assess your risks based on in-depth research and analysis.
Readers should note that S-GE and Swiss Business Hub Japan do not guarantee the accuracy of any of theinformation contained in this report, nor does it necessarily endorse the organizations, associations, companies,
websites and individuals listed herein. Readers of this report should verify the accuracy of the information contained
herein before making a business decision.

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