Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare publishes lists of polymers, additives, and monomers permitted for use in food contact; enforcement of updated list and use requirements set for June 1, 2025; Japanese industry organization publishes discussion paper on chemicals management for products in the circular economy
April 18, 2023
New Japanese coalition to protect children from harmful chemicals
Group of Japanese consumer organizations form ‘Network for Protecting Children from Hazardous Chemicals’; purpose is to gather and communicate scientific research and urge for legislative changes; inauguration event takes place on April 22, 2023
April 10, 2023
Japan updates list of substances allowed for food contact articles
Draft introduces new definitions of polymers; revises usage allowances for some substances
October 19, 2022
2022 FPF Workshop: FCM developments in the last decade
On the morning of the Food Packaging Forum’s annual workshop, speakers discuss changes in food contact material (FCM) regulation in the EU, US, and Asia; panels discuss key research and policy developments over the last decade
July 27, 2022
State and national governments acting on PFAS
United States Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions adds the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act as amendment to Food and Drug Administration funding bill; if it passes, PFAS would be banned in food packaging by January 1, 2024; trade groups in US state of Maine protest PFAS notification; Belgium plans national ban on PFAS if EU does not act by 2023; Japan bans 56 PFOA-related substances; Mexico proposes PFOS, PFOA import and export restrictions
April 7, 2022
Global Food Contact Conference 2022: updates from Asia
Smithers conference covers global developments in food contact regulations and materials; speakers on day two review recent and upcoming changes to food packaging regulations in China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia
September 1, 2021
Japan revises positive list for FCMs
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare publishes revised version of positive list for food contact materials (FCMs); applies to utensils, containers, and packaging made of synthetic resins; 83 substances added to the list of plastic polymers, 192 to coatings, 29 to monomers, and 121 to additives
July 29, 2020
Japan revises existing substances list
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) publishes draft lists of existing substances for use in synthetic food contact resins; set to be consolidated into final positive list announced in April 2020; revisions open for public comment
May 5, 2020
Japan releases revised positive list for FCMs
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare publishes revised version of positive list for food contact materials (FCMs); includes additional base polymer resins, monomers, additives; to be enforced from June 1, 2020 with five-year transition period for existing products
August 15, 2019
Japan notifies WTO of positive list
Ministry notifies World Trade Organization of planned positive list system for food-contact plastics; separate lists for base polymer plastics, coatings, minor monomers; notification open for comments until October 8, 2019; system enters into force June 2020
