How to Read Japanese Supplement Labels: A 2026 Guide for Shoppers
JHFC consumer verification guide Published: November 6, 2026
Many people buy supplements at Japanese drugstores or through personal shoppers and cannot read the Japanese on the package, so they guess from the kanji. This guide does not say which products are good. It only explains what you can check on a Japanese label and how to use each item. Our association is a private Japanese organization for health food information disclosure and certification. What you get here is a verification method.
First, identify which category the product falls into
Japan has no legal category called "health food." Products sold as "health food" are legally just food, usually called "so-called health food" (いわゆる健康食品), with no unified approval. On the packaging you can identify three types of products that went through different procedures. Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) are individually approved by the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA). Foods with Function Claims (FFC) are filed by the business with the CAA as a notification (届出), not an approval. Foods with Nutrient Function Claims cover specified vitamins, minerals, and similar nutrients and are labeled by the company itself according to national standards, with no notification required. All other products are ordinary foods. You cannot tell from the packaging whether they passed any official review.
When checking, first look for the label on the front or back of the package. A Food with Function Claims should say "機能性表示食品" and carry a notification number (届出番号). A Food for Specified Health Uses has its own logo. A Food with Nutrient Function Claims should say "栄養機能食品." A product without any of these labels is an ordinary food.
Basic label information, allergens, and ingredient sources
Under Japan's food labeling standards, packaged food labels generally must include the following items, and the same applies to health foods:
- Name (名称): See whether it says "××食品" or "栄養補助食品." The name is not the same as efficacy.
- Ingredient list (原材料名): Listed by amount from highest to lowest, including additives. Looking at the first few items tells you the main ingredients, but this is not the amount of the active ingredient.
- Net content (内容量): States the net quantity, such as the number of tablets, grams, or milliliters. Use it to check that the package matches the label.
- Best-before date / use-by date (賞味期限／消費期限): The best-before date is the period for maintaining quality; the use-by date is the period for safe consumption. Check before buying that the product is still within the period.
- Storage instructions (保存方法): May say keep away from light, store in a cool place, refrigerate after opening, and so on. Follow these instructions.
- Manufacturer / seller and address (製造者／販売者): Products made in Japan may list the manufacturer; imported products often list the seller. A complete name and address is a basic requirement.
- Nutrition facts (栄養成分表示): Shows calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and salt equivalent. These are ordinary nutrients, not the amount of functional ingredients.
- Origin of ingredients (原料原産地): Origin labeling for main ingredients is now fully implemented, and some products list it separately.
For allergens, Japan requires labeling for specified allergenic ingredients such as shrimp and crab. When buying products made from shrimp or crab shells, the label should show the relevant allergen labeling. People who are allergic to shrimp or crab should still pay attention even if the amount is small.
Information on ingredient sources appears in several places. The ingredient list states the source, for example collagen peptide from fish, pig, or cattle, or chondroitin from shark cartilage or pig cartilage. Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria should be identified to the strain level, meaning genus, species, and strain number, and should state whether the count refers to live bacteria or heat-treated cells, and whether it is the count at the time of manufacture or within the shelf life. Glucosamine is often used in forms such as hydrochloride or sulfate; the label should make clear whether the stated amount is calculated as the salt or as glucosamine. Red yeast rice products should state the source of the red yeast rice, the amount and testing of relevant components such as monacolin K, and testing for substances of concern such as citrinin. If this information is incomplete, ask the store or personal shopper for more complete label photos or materials.
Japanese label term reference
| Japanese term | Meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 名称 | Product name | Product category and name |
| 原材料名 | Ingredients and additives, listed by amount | Main ingredients and whether there are allergens |
| 内容量 | Net content | Quantity, number of tablets, grams |
| 賞味期限／消費期限 | Best-before period / period for safe consumption | Whether the product is still within the period |
| 保存方法 | Storage conditions | Temperature, light, how to store after opening |
| 製造者／販売者 | Manufacturing company / selling company | Company name and address |
| 栄養成分表示 | Nutrition facts panel | Calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, salt equivalent |
| 機能性表示食品 | The Foods with Function Claims category | Whether there is a notification number |
| 届出番号 | Notification number | Search for it at the CAA |
| 栄養機能食品 | The Foods with Nutrient Function Claims category | Whether it is a vitamin or mineral product labeled by the company on its own |
| 一日摂取目安量 | Suggested daily intake | How much to take per day, and the amount per serving |
Verification checklist
| Item to check | Where to look | What adequate information looks like | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product category | Label on the front or back of the package | You can clearly tell whether it is FOSHU, a Food with Function Claims, a Food with Nutrient Function Claims, or an ordinary food | It claims a function but has no category label or number |
| Notification number | Packaging of a Food with Function Claims | There is a number, and you can find it in the CAA's search system | It has the word "機能性" but no number, or the number cannot be found |
| Amount of functional ingredient | The amount section on the label | It clearly states how much is in each daily serving, without vague words such as "sufficient amount" or "high content" | It gives only the ingredient name without the amount per serving; the amount is altered or hard to read |
| Ingredient list (原材料名) | Back of the package | Listed by amount, with additives clearly stated | It says "various ingredients" or "etc." without details |
| Allergens | Near the ingredient list or in a separate section | Specified allergenic ingredients such as shrimp and crab are clearly labeled | The product involves shrimp or crab shell but does not mention allergens |
| Net content, dates, storage instructions | Back of the package | Net content, best-before or use-by date, and storage conditions are all given | No dates or storage instructions, or the date has passed |
| Manufacturer / seller | Back of the package | Complete name and address | Only a company name with no address, or the address is vague |
| Origin of ingredients | Back of the package or in the ingredient section | The origin of the main ingredients is stated | The origin is only given as "overseas" or is not stated |
How to check the amount of functional ingredients
On the packaging of a Food with Function Claims, you should see the notification number (届出番号), the ingredient related to the function and its amount, the suggested daily intake (一日摂取目安量), and a statement to the effect that "the business takes responsibility and has filed a notification with the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency." For such products, go to the CAA's notification search for Foods with Function Claims (機能性表示食品の届出情報検索) on the CAA website and enter the product name or notification number to see the function claim and supporting materials as filed. What you find there is not a guarantee of efficacy; it is only what the business filed.
Ordinary "so-called health food" has no unified requirement for labeling ingredient amounts. You can only look at the ingredient amounts the label states on its own. For example, some products say "×× mg per ×× tablets"; that is exactly what to check. If a product only says "contains ××" without giving the amount per daily serving, there is nothing to verify.
Foods with Nutrient Function Claims are labeled by the company according to nationally set standards, most often for vitamins and minerals. The packaging should say "栄養機能食品" along with the corresponding statements, but the scope of these statements is set by the system and does not mean the product has been approved.
Common misconceptions
- Misconception: A product labeled "Foods with Function Claims" has been approved by the government. Reality: It is only a notification filed with the Consumer Affairs Agency, not an approval. Only Foods for Specified Health Uses are individually approved by the CAA.
- Misconception: If an ingredient appears early in the ingredient list, the active ingredient content is high. Reality: The order is by weight, but for the functional ingredient, look at the amount per serving stated separately on the label.
- Misconception: A product past its best-before date cannot be eaten. Reality: The best-before date is the period for maintaining quality, not the period for safe consumption. Still, eating food past its date is not recommended; when buying, choose products within the period.
- Misconception: Foods with Nutrient Function Claims and Foods with Function Claims are the same thing. Reality: Foods with Nutrient Function Claims are labeled by the company according to national standards, and no notification is required. Foods with Function Claims have a notification number and can be looked up at the CAA.
- Misconception: Japanese "health food" products have all undergone official review. Reality: The vast majority of "so-called health food" is just ordinary food with no unified approval. The words "health food" on the package do not guarantee efficacy.
Related JHFC standards
- JHFC-A-001 Health Food Information Disclosure Standard 2026: Explains the overall requirements for information disclosure and can help readers judge whether product information is complete.
- JHFC-A-002 Health Food Labeling Terminology Standard: Explains how to read label wording and which kinds of wording may mislead consumers.
- JHFC-A-005 Content Labeling per Recommended Daily Intake Standard: Explains how amounts per serving are labeled, for checking how much is actually taken per day.
- JHFC-A-007 Storage Conditions and Best-Before Date Labeling Standard: Explains how to read storage instructions and dates, helping judge whether the label information is complete.
Scope of this guide
This guide only covers how to verify the information on Japanese labels. It does not evaluate the efficacy of any ingredient, and it does not recommend or certify any specific product. If you are taking medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult a doctor or pharmacist before buying.
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