How do you read Japanese food and nutrition labels? Imagine you’re shopping in Japan and suddenly you’re bombarded with food labeling words and information you can’t read. You take out your phone to translate the images, and sometimes it’s right and other times it’s…hardly comprehensible. 

It might be scary to navigate the food aisles of Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores when you don’t know what’s in your food. You might have allergies and dietary restrictions (halal, vegan, etc.), or you just want to watch what you eat. So, maybe it might be nice to know what some of the food labels mean without stressing too much.. 

To understand Japanese ingredients, we are breaking Japanese food labeling standards piece by piece. Read until the end to see a full guide to an actual product food label!

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Introduction to Japanese Nutrition & Ingredient Labels

Generally, ingredient information in Japan will be found under the label 原材料名 (genzai ryo mei). Nutrition information is labelled as 栄養成分表示 (eiyou seibun hyouji). 

Like in most other countries, ingredients are usually listed from highest to lowest content by weight. For instance, if wheat is listed first, wheat would make up the largest concentration in the product.

Nutrition information, such as energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, is listed separately from ingredient information lists, such as meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, additives, and artificial flavors.

The chart below shows ingredient labeling (原材料名) and nutrition labeling (栄養成分表示):

Key Nutritional Terms:

Japanese	Furigana	English
エネルギー enerugii	えねるぎー	Energy / Calories
蛋白質 tanpakushitsu	たんぱくしつ	Protein
脂質 shishitsu	ししつ	Fat
炭水化物 tansuikabutsu	たんすいかぶつ	Carbohydrate
糖質 toushitsu	とうしつ	Sugar
食物繊維 shokubutsuseni	しょくぶつせんい	Fiber
食塩 shokuen	しょくえん	Salt
低カロリー teikarorii	ていかろりー	Low Calorie
高たんぱく質 koutanpakushitsu	こうたんぱくしつ	High Protein
無糖 mutou	むとう	No sugar
低脂肪 teishibou	ていしぼう	Low Fat
香料 kouryou	こうりょう	Artificial Flavor / Smell
調味料 choumiryou	ちょうみりょう	Flavor/Taste
水分補給 suibun hokyuu	すいぶんほきゅう	Hydrating

Reading Ingredients And Nutrients On Japanese Labels

So, let’s take a look at an actual food label of a milk carton and see what information we can take away based on what we discussed:

You might be interested in: Top Japanese Supermarkets in Tokyo

Common Ingredients And Nutrition In Japanese

It is always best to know exactly what is in anything you consume, especially in prepackaged or processed food items. Most products will have some form of Japanese labelling on the front of the package (where the brand is usually located).

These products might want to highlight ingredients or nutrients that consumers seek, such as high protein, low calories, or added vitamins.

There are also laws in Japan requiring that promotional nutrient labelling does not mislead consumers. For instance, if a product has a sugar-free label, then it must not contain any traceable amounts of sugar. 

Check out the chart below for an easy guide to common labels on the front of packages:

The Essential Food Labelings To Know In Japanese

Expiration Dates and Best By Dates

You are probably wondering how “use-by” and “best by” dates are labeled on Japanese products. These must always be included on all products and are usually found separated from all other product information. 

What are their differences?

消費期限 shouhi kigen: “Use By” Date

Meaning	This is the last safe date to consume the product. After this date, safety is not guaranteed.
Product Uses	Highly perishable foods that can spoil quickly even if stored properly.
Examples	Fresh bento boxes, sandwiches, raw meat or fish, fresh cream desserts, tofu, milk.
Label Format	Usually printed as 消費期限: YYYY年MM月DD日
Legal Requirement	Mandatory for perishable foods under Japan’s Food Labeling Standards.

賞味期限 shoumi kigen: “Best Before” Date

Meaning	Indicates the date until which the product retains its best quality, not safety. It may still be safe to eat after this date if unopened..
Product Uses	Products with longer shelf lives, where spoilage happens gradually.
Examples	Snacks, canned foods, instant noodles, dry goods, frozen meals, chocolate.
Label Format	Usually printed as 賞味期限: YYYY年MM月DD日
Legal Note	Still safe after expiry if no obvious spoilage, but not guaranteed to taste as good.

Storing Information

Products are required by the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) to display best storage practices for perishable goods. All raw meat and fresh dairy products, for example, will need to include information on storing them in a fridge or freezer for the product to last until its “Use By” date. 

Common storage labelling in Japanese:

Japanese	Furigana	English Meaning
保存方法 hozon houhou	ほぞんほうほう	Storage method/instructions
常温で保存 jouon de hozon	じょうおんでほぞん	Store at room temperature
直射日光、高温多湿を避けて保存 chokusha nikkou, kouon tashitsu o sakete hozon	ちょくしゃにっこう、こうおんたしつをさけてほぞん	Avoid direct sunlight, high temperature, and humidity
要冷蔵（10℃以下）youreizou (juudo ika)	ようれいぞう（10℃いか）	Keep refrigerated (below 10°C)
要冷凍（-18℃以下）youreitou (mainasu juuhachi-do ika)	ようれいとう（-18℃いか）	Keep frozen (below -18°C)
開封後は早めにお召し上がりくださいkaifuugo wa hayame ni omeshiagari kudasai	かいふうごははやめにおめしあがりください	Consume as soon as possible after opening

Certified Japanese Food Labels

Official government agencies such as the CAA or the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) established certified markings for products meeting certain standards. 

These markings can indicate whether a product is certified to be “healthy”, for “special dietary needs,” “organic”, and much more. 

There are quite a few governmental bodies granting different markers, so here is a non-exhaustive list of certified labels to keep an eye out for:

Tokutei hokenyou shokuhin (特定保健用食品)

Simply トクホ tokuho, it is a certified marking granted by the CAA. It indicates a product has been proven with rigorous scientific evidence to be safe and effective for specific health purposes. 

View the logo on CAA’s Food Labeling Website

Jouken tsuki tokutei hoken you shokuhin (条件付き特保健用食品)

The only difference is that products with this marker has some scientific evidence to be effective for certain health purposes, just not with the same rigor as theトクホ. 

View the logo on CAA’s Food Labeling Website

Tokubetsu you to shokuhin (特別用途食品)

This marker indicates that an item has met the standards to be safe to consume for those with special dietary considerations, like milk formula or a diabetic-friendly menu. 

View the logo on CAA’s Foods For Special Dietary Needs page

公正 (kousei) or Fair Trade

The Fair Trade marker shows that products and producers align with fair competition rules. It can also signify that everything on the product’s packaging is indeed true. This marker is usually granted to items such as milk, edible salt, honey, eggs or cod roe.

View the different 公正 labels on the Japanese Federation of Fair Trade Conferences website

JAS

This is a label stating that the quality of a product and its ingredients meet the Japan Agricultural Standard (JAS) set by the MAFF.

See the logo on the official JAS Website

JAS Organic

This is the Organic JAS marker, which indicates that a product meets the JAS standards for organic labelling. 

This means that the product has no artificial additives, preservatives, or coloring. There was no use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers, or GMOs.

Check out the logo on the JAS Website

Dietary Labels (Halal, Kosher, and Vegan) in Japan

You can find other labels for religious, ethical, or personal dietary restrictions, especially the common labels including halal, kosher, and vegan. They are not as widespread nor provided by the Japanese government, but they are granted by independent organizations and are found in most supermarkets.

Halal

This is one of the halal-certified markers. There are many organizations in Japan that provide a halal certification, including the Japan Halal Business Association.
For the most part, in order to pass, ingredients and production must align with halal standards.

Kosher

Kosher certified marker provided by the Kosher Japan Company. They are the first organization in Japan to certify products and producers as Kosher. Products and production processes must pass examinations conducted by Kosher Japan to receive the certified label.

Vegan & Vegetarian

Vegan & Vegetarian certified labels which are provided by the NPO Vege Project. Their labels are the most widely used vegan and vegetarian markings in Japan.
Products have to pass the organization’s standards of vegan or vegetarian in order to be certified.

Allergen Food Labels & Ingredients In Japanese

The CAA defined eight allergens that must be declared in the ingredient list (原材料名). These eight allergens include the following:

Japanese	Furigana	English
卵 tamago	たまご	Egg
乳 nyu	にゅう	Milk/Dairy
小麦 komugi	こむぎ	Wheat
海老 ebi	えび	Shrimp
カニ kani	かに	Crab
そば soba	そば	Buckwheat
落花生 / ピーナツ rakkasei/piinatsu	らっかせい / ぴーなつ	Peanuts
くるみ kurumi	くるみ	Walnuts

Oftentimes, allergens are included in other products, have been modified from its original form, or can consist of different variations. Here are some common labelling conventions:

• 乳等を主要原料 とする食品 chichito o shuyou genryou to suru shokuhin: Food product with milk products as the main ingredient
• 卵由来 tamago yurai: Products originating from eggs
• 乳製品 nyuu seihin: Dairy products
• Ingredients used in products such as 醤油 shoyu, or soy sauce, contain allergens and may be labelled: 醤油(大豆・小麦を含む）

There is no set legal standard on how to label allergens in Japan. They are only required to list the 8 specific allergens in the ingredient list. But for better clarity, food products will sometimes list allergy-inducing contents separately with the following labels:

• アレルゲン arerugen: allergens
• アレルギー物質 arerugii busshitsu: allergy contents
• 含まれるアレルゲン fukumareru arerugen: included allergens

There are also times when the specific terms アレルゲン or アレルギー物質 are not used but allergens are still listed separately, often at the end of the ingredient list and in parentheses. For example:

• (一部に乳成分・大豆・アーモンドを含む) ichibu ni chichiseibun, daizu, aamondo o fukumu: Contains some dairy, soy, and almonds

Other Allergens To Know

The 8 allergens listed above are the only ingredients required by Japanese law to be labelled on food packaging. However, the CAA has outlined 20 more allergens that they highly recommend to be included on product ingredient labeling. 

As of 2025, this is the most up-to-date list:  

Japanese		Furigana	English
大豆 daizu		だいず	Soybeans
ごま goma		ごま	Sesame
アーモンド aamondo		あーもんど	Almonds
カシューナッツ kashuunattsu		かしゅーなっつ	Cashew nuts
マカダミアナッツ makadamia nattsu		まかだみあなっつ	Macadamia nuts
いくら ikura		いくら	Salmon Roe
鮑 awabi		あわび	Abalone
いか ika		いか	Squid
鯖 saba		さば	Mackerel
鮭 / サーモン sake/saamon		さけ / さーもん	Salmon
鶏肉 toriniku		とりにく	Chicken
牛肉 gyuuniku		ぎゅうにく	Beef
豚肉 butaniku		ぶたにく	Pork
ゼラチン zerachin		ぜらちん	Gelatin
キウィ kiui		きうぃ	Kiwi
桃 momo		もも	Peach
りんご ringo		りんご	Apple
バナナ banana		ばなな	Banana
オレンジ orenji		おれんじ	Orange
山芋 yamaimo		やまいも	Wild Yam

How Agricultural Products And Perishables Are Labeled In Japanese

Fresh Vegetables And Fruit Products

How are vegetables and fruits labeled in Japan? Like many markets around the world, fresh fruits and vegetables are often not prepackaged, thus, information such as the item name and place of origin is displayed at the point of purchase. 

And if any additives were used, they must also be displayed around the product as well. If the products are organic, you might find the JAS Organic label on the product signboard as well.

For terminology for fruits in Japanese, check out our article: Fruit Vocabulary Cheat Sheet. 

But don’t forget your vegetables! We have one for that too: Japanese Vegetables Vocabulary Cheat Sheet

Meat Products

Japanese laws mandate that any products containing meat must be declared in the ingredient list. 

When it comes to raw meat, the following rules apply:

• All meat products from Japan must say its domestic (prefecture is optional)
• Imported meat products must state their country of origin
• For domestic beef, the cattle’s identification number needs to be included on the packaging.
• If the meat is packaged, they must include the name of the product, net quantity, use-by date, storage information, and the producer’s name and address

Below are some typical labeling conventions for raw meat products:

Japanese	Furigana	English
豚バラ肉 butabara niku	ぶたばらにく	Pork belly meat
国産 kokusan	こくさん	Domestic (often prefecture or town is stated instead if domestic)
保存方法 (要冷蔵4°C以下) hozon houhou (kanameireizo 4°C ika)	ほぞんほうほう　（かなめいれいぞう4°Cいか）	Storing information (Must Refrigerate at 4°C or below)
消費期限 shouhi kigen 25. 1. 1.	しょうひきげん 25. 1. 1.	Use Before 1/1/2025
内容量 naiyouryou 800 g	ないようりょう 800 g	Weight Content: 800 g

Below is a graphic showing meat and certain meat products to be aware of:

Dairy Products

Fresh and processed dairy products are regulated by both the CAA and MAFF. All dairy products must clearly declare product contents such as milk fat, non-milk fat solids, ingredients, and any preservatives or additives. 

Additionally, dairy products have unique labeling rules requiring them to declare product categories:

Category	Japanese	Requirements
Milk	牛乳 gyuunyuu	Unaltered raw milk, pasteurized; no additives. Must contain: ≥ 3.0% milk fat, ≥ 8.0% non-fat solids
Low-fat milk	低脂肪牛乳 teishibou gyuunyuu	Milk fat between 0.5% and 1.5%
Non-fat milk	無脂肪牛乳 mushibou gyuunyuu	Milk fat less than 0.5%
Processed milk	成分調整牛乳 seibun chousei gyuunyuu	Some milk components (fat, water, solids) adjusted, but no added ingredients
Milk drinks	乳飲料 nyuu inryou	Includes added ingredients (e.g., vitamins, calcium, sugar, flavoring)
Fermented milk	発酵乳 hakkounyuu	Includes yogurt; must declare presence of live bacteria
Lactic acid bacteria drinks	乳酸菌飲料 nyuusankin inryou	Lower milk content, more like Yakult-style drinks

Quick Tip: Notched Milk Cartons

So, pure milk cartons in Japan have a notched or small arc cut at the top of the carton’s flap. This is used to let people with poor eyesight know that the item is pure milk and not some other dairy product such as yogurt, non-fat milk, etc. No other diary product will have this marking unless it is pure whole milk.

Additive Ingredients In Japanese

Any additives in the product must be declared according to Japan’s Food Labelling Standards to protect consumers, especially those with allergies. However, food additives are highly regulated by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW). Any additives that producers use in their products need to be approved according to Japan’s Food Safety and Hygiene Act. 

Products with the JAS organic label generally contain no additives and are certified to ensure the entire production process is free from chemical additives. While products without the label may also be additive-free, the certification offers greater assurance.

Here is a list of additives and processed product terms that are good to know:

Japanese		Furigana	English
添加 tenka		てんか	Additives
甘味料 kanmiryou		かんみりょう	Sweeteners (e.g., aspartame, sucralose)
着色料 chakushokuryou		ちゃくしょくりょう	Coloring agents (e.g., carmine, tartrazine)
保存料 hozonryou		ほぞんりょう	Preservatives (e.g., sodium benzoate)
増粘剤 zounenzai		ぞうねんざい	Thickeners (e.g., xanthan gum)
酸化防止剤 sanka boushizai		さんかぼうしざい	Antioxidants (e.g., BHA, BHT)
酸味料 sanmiryou		さんみりょう	Acidulants (e.g., citric acid)
香料 kouryou		こうりょう	Flavors or flavoring agents
調味料（アミノ酸等）choumiryou (amino-san tou)		ちょうみりょう　（あみのさんとう）	Seasoning (e.g., MSG and other amino acids)
乳化剤 nyukazai		にゅうかざい	Emulsifiers
膨張剤 bouchouzai		ぼうちょうざい	Leavening agents (e.g., baking powder)
酵素 kouso		こうそ	Enzymes
光沢剤 koutakuzai		こうたくざい	Glazing agents
安定剤 anteizai		あんていざい	Stabilizers
pH調整剤 pH chouseizai		pHちょうせいざい	pH adjusters
発色剤 hasshokuzai		はっしょくざい	Curing agents (e.g., sodium nitrite)
防かび剤 boukabizai		ぼうかびざい	Antifungal agents (mainly for citrus and fruits)
漂白剤 hyouhakuzai		ひょうはくざい	Bleaching agents
苦味料 nigamiryou		にがみりょう	Bitterness agents (often in liqueurs or candy)

Additive Labeling Rules:

Additives must be listed by function + specific name, for example:

• 着色料(カラメル) chakushokuryou(karameru) = Coloring agent (caramel)
• 甘味料(アスパルテーム) kaminryou(asuparuteemu)  = Sweetener (aspartame)
• Group names like 調味料(アミノ酸等) choumiryou (amino santou) are allowed for additive mixtures, especially flavor enhancers
• If a product has no additives, 無添加 mutenka (additive-free) or the JAS organic label may be used

Wrapping Up

It might seem overwhelming initially, but Japanese food and nutrition labels use consistent terminology and consumer protection is taken seriously in Japan, so common allergens, meat products, and additives are required to be listed on products.

Of course, we don’t expect you to remember every word listed in this article but try to remember a specific term you might want to ask the staff about (like タンパク質 or protein). We hope this guide gives you some tools to look out for what you need!

Want to learn more Japanese for daily life? Check out courses at Coto Academy, available in Tokyo and Yokohama!

What are common Japanese ingredients?

Common Japanese ingredients include soy sauce, miso, rice wine, rice vinegar, salt, sugar, tofu, seasonal vegetables, different fish (tuna and mackerel are common), and much more.

What are some standard Japanese labeling practices?

Labelling practices in Japan largely consist of rules established by the Japanese government. As standard Japanese products list the following: allergens, ingredients, nutrient information, content weight/quantity, how to store, and best by/use by dates.

How are allergens labelled in Japanese?

The Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) requires that eight specific allergens be clearly disclosed on any product containing them: peanuts, walnuts, eggs, milk, shrimp, crab, buckwheat, and wheat. Additionally, the CAA recommends labeling 20 other potential allergens.

Do Japanese foods have a lot of additives?

Additives are quite common in a lot of pre-packaged food items since preservatives are useful in preserving product shelf life, and additives are great for making things taste better. All additives must be listed in ingredient lists in Japan.

Does Japanese cuisine use MSG?

Yes, Japanese cuisine often uses MSG or 調味料 (アミノ酸) shoumiryou (amino san). They are commonly found in different common seasonings, restaurants, and pre-packaged foods. The Aji no Moto brand is the most common MSG producer and can be found in most super markets.

Read our other guides to Japanese:

• Japanese Washing Machines
• Guide to Japanese Rice Cooker
• Guide to Japanese Toilets
• Guide to Japanese Bathtubs
• Guide To Japanese Cooking And Recipes Vocabulary
• Guide to Vegan Shopping in Japan
• Download Free Kanji Worksheet on Food Labels