Japan, though a small country, can offer great opportunities for overseas business in the organic industry. Whether you are seeking to ship JAS certified products or to ship your NOP certified products under the USDA/MAFF Export Arrangement, QAI can help your products get to Japanese Organic Market successsfully with our cost effective JAS and USDA / MAFF Export Arrangement programs.

QAI is equipped with knowledgeable staff and resources on both sides of the Pacific to deliver quality services in a timely manner to help you gain access to Japanese organic markets.

About JAS

As of April 1, 2001, every agricultural product and agricultural product processed foods labeled “organic” for sale in Japan must be in compliance with JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) and have an Organic JAS Seal affixed.

USDA‘s NOP certification assesses the processes that occur along the organic chain, and similarly, JAS requires evaluation of the internal structure and managerial competence that supports such processes. JAS further focuses on verifying that systems are in place for deciding and ensuring the products meet the relevant standards (grading.)

For further information on grading, please visit:
Technical Criteria 1830 - Producers
Technical Criteria 1831 - Processors
Technical Criteria 1833 - Repackers
JAS Standards 1605 - Producers
JAS Standards 1605 - Processors

When properly handled, JAS seal on each product ensures the following:

the PROCESS to produce this product is in compliance with JAS regulation.
this particular PRODUCT has passed the internal JAS grading system in place.

JAS standards only apply to “Organic” or “100% Organic” products, thus, JAS seal cannot be affixed on “Made with JAS Certified Ingredients” product.

QAI recognizes the challlenges you face with Japanese Organic Market! QAI offers two ways to access the Japanese market: the JAS program and through the issuance of export certificates (TM-11s) For more details on the difference between JAS certification program and the USDA / MAFF Export Arrangement, please go to JAS vs USDA / MAFF Export Arrangement.

QAI is equipped with knowledgeable staff that deliver quality service in a timely manner.

Please visit JAS standards (Law &35;59, Law #60) for organic products. For regulation on packaging requirement, please visit (Law #513 and Law #514)

Routes to the Japanese Organic Market

The following flowchart shows various routes into the Japanese Organic Market. Each route has its advantages and disadvantages, and factor such as your exporting business volume and frequency, budget, importer’s certification status, etc all need to be taken into consideration when deciding which route is most appropriate for your operation.

Routes to the Japanese Organic Market

About Organic JAS Seal

The QAI Japan JAS seal is required to be affixed on all products certified by QAI to be in compliance with JAS standards and to be sold as organic in Japan. Before the JAS seal is affixed, approved and documented JAS grading inspections must occur.

The JAS seal must:

appear on all retail products sold as organic in Japan
appear on all packaged products sold as “JAS certified”
be a minimum of 5mm tall
appear on all possible shipping documents for unlabeled bulk
include “QAI JAPAN” below the JAS mark

According to the press release issued on March 6, 2000 by MAFF, the circle on the left represents the sun; two circles overlapping one another on the right represent a patch of cloud interacting with the sun. This represents the nature, and the leaf (organic products) is the product nurtured and grown by the energy naturally exists in nature without the use of synthetic fertilizer or pesticide.

The roundness of the entire design indicates the gentleness organic products possesses upon us and our environment.

For more information, contact Miki Takada at 858.792.3531 or by e-mail.