HACCP & JFS Certification: Food Safety Standards for Japan Exports

Quick Answer: HACCP certification is required for exporting meat, seafood, and dairy from Japan. JFS (Japan Food Safety) standards align with GFSI benchmarks. For most Japanese food exports, your supplier needs at minimum HACCP certification; JFS-B or JFS-C for retail buyers like Whole Foods, Costco, or EU supermarket chains.

HACCP vs JFS: Key Differences

Standard	Scope	Recognized By	Required For
HACCP	Hazard control system	Codex Alimentarius	All food export (mandatory in Japan since 2021)
JFS-A	Basic food safety	Japan only	Small producers, domestic market
JFS-B	HACCP + management system	GFSI benchmarked	Major retailers, food service chains
JFS-C	Full FSSC 22000 equivalent	GFSI benchmarked	Multinational retailers, EU/US chains

What Buyers Need to Know

HACCP is baseline — mandatory for all food facilities in Japan since June 2021
JFS-B/C for retail — if you supply to Whole Foods, Walmart, Tesco, GFSI-benchmarked certification is required
ISO 22000 — international alternative to JFS, recognized globally
Audit reports — request third-party audit reports, not just certificates

Verification Checklist

Request HACCP plan documentation (not just the certificate)
Verify JFS certification level and expiration date
Ask for most recent third-party audit report
Check if certification covers the specific products you are buying
Confirm the certifying body is GFSI-recognized

Certified Supply Chain

All WAGYU NINJA partner facilities maintain HACCP certification. JFS-B/C certified options available for retail supply chains.

Verify Our Certifications →

FAQ

Is HACCP mandatory for all Japanese food exports?

HACCP has been mandatory for all food facilities in Japan since June 2021. Any legitimate Japanese food supplier should have HACCP certification.

Do I need JFS certification to import Japanese food?

Not for import itself, but major retailers (Whole Foods, Costco, EU supermarkets) require GFSI-benchmarked certification from suppliers.

What is GFSI?

Global Food Safety Initiative — a benchmarking body that recognizes food safety standards. JFS-B, JFS-C, FSSC 22000, and BRC are all GFSI-recognized.

Karen Hashimoto

Curator & Export Compliance Director · WAGYU NINJA

Karen sources directly from Japanese producers and handles export compliance for B2B buyers in 50+ countries. Based in Fukuoka, Japan. @konnichiwa.karen