Guides

Reading Japanese allergen labels

Eight mandatory items and twenty recommended ones — what the system guarantees, and what it does not.

The structure

Japanese food labelling handles allergens at two levels: “specified raw materials”, which must be declared, and a second list whose declaration is recommended.

A 2023 revision added walnut to the mandatory list, bringing it to eight: shrimp, crab, walnut, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk and peanut. The transition period has passed and the requirement is fully in force.

Twenty further items are on the recommended list, including almond, abalone, squid, salmon roe, orange, cashew, kiwi, beef, sesame, salmon, mackerel, soy, chicken, banana, pork, matsutake, peach, yam, apple and gelatin.

What the system does not guarantee

• The twenty recommended items need not be declared — absence of a declaration is not absence of the ingredient
• Unpackaged food — loose goods, restaurant meals — falls outside the requirement
• Cross-contamination on shared lines: a precautionary note is voluntary, not mandatory
• “Free from X” claims are made voluntarily by the producer

Two labelling formats

Allergens may be shown per ingredient in brackets (individual format) or collected at the end of the ingredient list (batch format). Batch format appears as something like “contains wheat, egg and milk in part” at the end. Individual format is the one people miss.

If your allergy is severe

Alongside reading labels, contacting the manufacturer works. Most Japanese companies run an allergen enquiry line and will answer specifically about line separation and cleaning. Recipes change even for long-standing products, so the ones you buy regularly are worth re-reading occasionally.

Last updated: 2026-10-06