Japan food labeling for imported food: Japanese label, importer, allergens

What a Japanese food label must show

Prefectural guidance on the Food Labeling Standards lists the name of the food, ingredients in descending order by weight, additives, the origin of ingredients, net content, the use-by or best-before date, the storage method, the food business responsible for the label, the country of origin for imported products, allergens when specified raw materials are used, and nutrition information.

For imported food, the responsible business is shown as the importer, with its name and address, and the label gives the country of origin. The importer carries the responsibility for labeling, and the Japanese label is required by the time the product reaches retail shelves rather than at customs clearance.

Japan food label checklist for exporters

• Name of the food and ingredients in descending order by weight
• Additives, net content, use-by or best-before date, storage method
• Importer's name and address, and the country of origin
• The 9 mandatory allergens, now including cashew nut
• Nutrition: energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, salt equivalent
• All label text in Japanese before the product reaches retail

Allergens and nutrition

Japan has 9 specified raw materials that must be labeled: egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut and cashew nut. Walnut was added on 9 March 2023, and cashew nut on 1 April 2026, with a transition period for changing labels until 31 March 2028. Another 20 items, such as almond, sesame, soybean, macadamia nut and pistachio, which joined the list on 1 April 2026, are recommended for labeling.

Nutrition labeling is mandatory for energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate and sodium, which is shown as salt equivalent. Because recipes and allergen lists change, exporters should send the importer a full ingredient and allergen breakdown with each new product so the Japanese label can be checked before sale.