About Organic JAS

About Organic JAS

Organic JAS is a legal framework defined under the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS Law). It is a certification system where third-party organizations inspect and verify that production meets the established standards, granting only certified businesses the right to use the "Organic JAS Mark." This certification is overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in Japan.

For agricultural products, livestock products, and processed foods, it is mandatory to receive Organic JAS certification in order to display terms like "organic" or "organic-certified" on product packaging. This certification is recognized as equivalent to other standards such as the EU Organic Certification and the USDA Organic Certification in the United States.

Standards Defined by Organic JAS

The standards established by Organic JAS comply with the guidelines of Codex Alimentarius (an international body that sets food standards), similar to those of other countries. These standards aim to promote sustainable production methods that reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and livestock production. Key principles include:

  • Organic agricultural products must be cultivated with practices such as soil building using compost, avoiding the use of chemically synthesized fertilizers and pesticides as a basic rule.
  • The use of genetic modification technology is prohibited in production processes. etc.

International Mutual Recognition of Organic Certification Systems

There are international agreements where countries mutually recognize each other's organic certification systems as equivalent to their own. This allows organic-certified products from one country to be treated as certified products in the other. As of January 2024, Japan has established mutual recognition agreements with the following countries:

  • For agricultural products:
    • The EU
    • The United States
    • Canada
    • the United Kingdom
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan
  • For processed agricultural foods (excluding alcoholic beverages):
    • The EU
    • The United States
    • Canada
    • the United Kingdom
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan