5th Report of Market Access Ombudsman Council (March 17, 1998)

1-(5) Review domestic standards on food additives

1. Complainant: Tokyo Chamber of Commerce

2. Ministry concerned: Ministry of Health and Welfare

3. Complaint:

Japan's regulations on food additives, such as the nitrite content of meat products being 0.07g or less and on the use of benzoic acid, are limited to certain items, such as caviar, margarine, syrup and soy sauce; however, the EU and U. S. A. ernization and diversification of the dietary habits and the developing physique of the Japanese people and the like have given rise to a variety of changes in dietary habits, and regulations should be relaxed in kind.

4. Corresponding Policy of the Ministries concerned:

Based on the stipulations of Article 7, Clause 1 of the Food Sanitation Law, from the perspective of public health, standards and specifications on food additives and the like (pertaining to usage, manufacturing and ingredients) were established based on "Standards and Specifications on Food, Additives, etc." (December 12, Showa 34; Notification No. 370 of the Ministry of Health and Welfare), and Clause 2 of the same article prohibits the import, sale, etc., of items that do not conform to these standards and specifications.

In addition, concerning the procedure for revising the usage standards on food additives, based on the report of the Food Safety Council in March of 1996, we are in the process of designating "Policy for Designating Food Additive and Revising Usage Standards" (Notification No. 29 of the Director of the Environmental Health Bureau). Based on this policy, and adding materials on safety and the like, if there is an actual request, it will be conducted through the deliberation of the Food Safety Council.

The procedure for revising the food additive usage standards will be implemented based on actual requests from related businesses and the like in various Western countries, as well, and on scientific evaluation.

5. Remarks
The complainant's opinion is as follows:
"I understand that this is the policy as it stands."