Japan targets global standards to strengthen agri-food exports

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is moving to give international standards a larger role in the country’s food and agricultural export strategy. The draft shows a broader ambition: using standards to support market access, differentiate high-value products and strengthen Japan’s voice in global rule-setting, according to a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service report.

The draft follows Japan’s Intellectual Property Promotion Plan 2025, adopted on June 3, 2025, which included a new international standards strategy. Food and agriculture were listed among eight strategic areas requiring urgent engagement.

Focus on high-value products

For exporters, the key message is that Japan wants to use standards not only for compliance, but also as a market-building tool. The strategy covers the food supply chain from primary production to processing, distribution and consumption, as well as related technologies and services.

MAFF identifies priority areas: high-quality and high-value agricultural products; sustainable agriculture and food industry, including smart agriculture, food tech, and nutritional evaluation; greenhouse gas reduction and carbon absorption businesses, including soil carbon sequestration.

Market access and fresh produce

The report also outlines four directions for market creation. These include helping Japanese exporters meet overseas regulations through internationally recognized domestic certification systems; defining Japanese concepts and evaluation methods for new products; setting standards for names, quality and processes to expand markets; and using national or industry standards to show Japan’s added value.

Fresh produce appears directly in the market expansion part of the strategy, with quality scoring for fresh produce intended for long-distance export listed as one example. This makes the draft relevant beyond policy circles, especially for suppliers focused on premium positioning, long-haul shipments and differentiation in overseas markets.

Stronger role in global rules

MAFF also plans to strengthen Japan’s standardization base by involving industry, academia, government and finance, developing human capital, coordinating across ministries and seeking a stronger role in bodies such as ISO and Codex.

Read the full document here.

source: fas.usda.gov

photo: maff.go.jp