Japan

Negotiating · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

29 screening rules

Labeling: 12 rules — 10 blocking, 2 conditional, 0 advisory
Additives: 6 rules — 6 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 5 rules — 5 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Import & registration: 6 rules — 5 blocking, 1 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: Food Sanitation Act 1947 (EN)
Labeling regulation: Food Labeling Act 2013 (EN)
Import requirements: MHLW Imported Foods portal (HTML)
National standards body: None identified
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2025

Certificates required

Japan food import notification (MHLW) — Mandatory (Applies to: All food imported for sale)
Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Mandatory (Applies to: Meat, milk products, oysters, pufferfish and other specified items)
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Meat & animal products (MAFF animal quarantine))
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plant products)
Organic JAS certificate (Japan) — Mandatory (Applies to: Products labelled organic)
JFS-C (Japan Food Safety Management Association) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Food manufacturers supplying Japanese buyers)
FSSC 22000 — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers)
Other FTA origin certificates (ASEAN Form D, RCEP, AfCFTA, China FTA Form E etc.) — Mandatory (Applies to: Goods claiming EPA/RCEP preference)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential; preferential FTA forms e.g. ASEAN Form D / RCEP where claimed) — Issued by: Exporting-country chamber or authority — Conditional
Import customs declaration — Issued by: Japan Customs — Mandatory
Notification Form for Importation of Foods (MHLW import notification) — Issued by: MHLW quarantine station — Mandatory
Sanitary / health certificate — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Manufacturing / ingredient documentation (ingredients, additives, process) — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Test results (ordered inspection / pre-registered lab) — Issued by: Registered lab — Conditional
Animal quarantine inspection and export certificate — Issued by: MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate / plant quarantine — Issued by: MAFF Plant Protection Station — Conditional
Catch documents / CITES — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Organic certificate (JAS equivalence) — Issued by: Accredited body — Conditional

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Export customs declaration — Issued by: Japan Customs — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential and FTA forms) — Issued by: Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPA COs) / chambers — Conditional

Government fees

Import notification (MHLW) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Monitoring inspection (Import) — 0 JPY
Ordered inspection testing fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Advance ruling (Import) — 0 JPY
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
EPA certificate of origin (Export) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: NACCS / FAINS

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

Food Sanitation Act (Act No. 233 of 1947) — English translation (MOJ portal) (2023) Open the source
Food Labeling Act (Act No. 70 of 2013) — English translation (2013) Open the source
CAA — Japan's Food Labelling System (English overview) (2024) Open the source
USDA GAIN — An Overview of the Food Labeling Standard (Japan) (2017) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Japan (JA2025-0065) (2025) Open the source
MHLW — Imported Foods portal (import notification, monitoring plan) (2026) Open the source
MHLW — Positive List System for Agricultural Chemical Residues in Food (introduction) (2006) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — Japan (JA2025-0054) (2025) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Japan (2025) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — Japan (2025) Open the source
CAA — Japan's Food Labelling System (EN overview) (2024) Open the source
USDA GAIN — Overview of the Food Labeling Standard (2017) Open the source
Food Labeling Act (Act No. 70 of 2013) — EN (2013) Open the source
Food Sanitation Act (Act No. 233 of 1947) — EN (1947) Open the source
MHLW — Imported Foods portal (current) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.