Japan government officially certifies food banks for 1st time
Japan certified four food banks on Tuesday (July 28) to help organisations support people in need with surplus food collected from companies and others.
It is the first time that food banks have been recognised under the country's certification scheme launched by the government in April.
The four are Second Harvest Japan in Tokyo, Food Bank Yamanashi in the city of Minami Alps in the central prefecture of Yamanashi, Food Bank Kansai in Kobe, the capital of the western prefecture of Hyogo, and Food Bank Fukuoka in the city of Fukuoka, the capital of the namesake prefecture in southwestern Japan.
In Japan's food industry, there is a business practice called the "one-third rule," in which food makers are required to deliver products to stores before more than one-third of the period from production to the best-before dates passes.
This rule has been cited as one of the factors behind food loss in the country.
Promoting donations to food banks is expected to help reduce food waste.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised over risks such as food poisoning and resale of donated food items.
Responding to such concerns, the government introduced the certification scheme, under which the consumer agency's secretariat inspects food banks' control and hygiene systems through application documents and on the ground.
"We hope that the certification system will further promote efforts to reduce food loss and facilitate food donations," Hitoshi Kikawada, minister for consumer affairs and food safety, told a press conference.
"This certification enhances the credibility of (our operations)," Second Harvest Japan CEO Yuji Shibata said. "We will continue appropriately managing food items and delivering them (to people in need)," he added.
An official of Food Bank Kansai said this is a fresh start for its activities.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
