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Plant-based

Food made without animal-derived ingredients. It overlaps with “vegan” but the two words do not mean the same thing.

What the term means

“Plant-based” describes the composition of a product: its ingredients come from plants. In Japan it is used mainly on food, for products made without meat, fish, eggs, dairy or honey.

It is often confused with “vegan”, but the two start from different places. Vegan describes an ethical position — avoiding animal exploitation — and extends beyond food to clothing, cosmetics and household goods. Plant-based describes ingredients, and includes people choosing for health or environmental reasons. The same product often fits both, but a plant-based label does not mean a product carries vegan certification.

How it is labelled in Japan

Japan has no legal definition of “plant-based” or “vegan” on food packaging. These are voluntary claims made by the producer. Several private certification marks, Japanese and international, circulate alongside them.

Dashi deserves particular attention. In Japanese processed foods, products that look plant-based frequently contain bonito stock or fish sauce. Reading the ingredient list to the end is a habit worth forming.

What to check

• Read the full ingredient list, especially the breakdown of “dashi”, “extract” and “seasoning”
• The allergen line — “contains milk”, “contains egg”
• If you avoid the five pungent roots (gokun: alliums), look for a separate statement
• If a certification mark is present, check which body issued it
• “植物性” and “plant-based” are usually used interchangeably, but each company defines its own line