Japan Proposes JAS Act Amendments to Prevent Certification Evasion and Expand Mutual Recognition with EU

Japan requires enterprises to disclose more information when ceasing certification operations, aiming to prevent responsibility evasion. Japan extends equivalence recognition with the EU to include organic alcoholic beverages, organic livestock products, and processed foods made from organic livestock products.

On March 13, 2025, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced the Proposal No. 550004087, revising the Act on Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS Act). The proposal focuses on two key revisions: strengthening regulations to prevent certification evasion by JAS-certified enterprises and expanding equivalence recognition with the European Union (EU). Any comments can be submitted before April 11, 2025 via e-GOV platform.

JAS Certification

Under the JAS Act, enterprises whose certifications are canceled are prohibited from re-registering with another registered certification body for one year. The new proposal introduces additional transparency measures by requiring enterprises to disclose more detailed information when ceasing certification operations.

Subject	Disclose Method	Required Information
Enterprises	Public viewing at office/internet/others	Name and address of the enterprises ceasing certification operations. Type of agricultural or forestry products or classification of handling methods related to the cessation. Name and location of the fields, factories, or business sites, or details of the distribution process, including handlers' names and addresses. Certification number of the business ceasing operations. Date of cessation.
Registered certification body	Submit to MAFF	Name and address of the entity ceasing certification operations. Type of agricultural or forestry products (including alcoholic beverages, if applicable) or classification of handling methods. Name and location of the fields, factories, or business sites, or details of the distribution process, including handlers' names and addresses. Certification number of the entity ceasing operations. Date of cessation.

These measures are intended to prevent enterprises from avoiding accountability by abruptly terminating their certification activities, a practice often referred to as "certification evasion."

Equivalence Recognition

The proposal also seeks to broaden mutual equivalence recognition with the EU. Previously, the equivalence arrangement covered organic agricultural products and their processed foods. Under the new proposal, equivalence recognition will extend to:

Organic alcoholic beverages
Organic livestock products
Processed foods made from organic livestock products

These revisions aim to uphold the credibility of JAS certification and maintain international equivalence standards, ensuring transparency and accountability among certified enterprises.