On May 7, according to the report of Japanese agricultural news, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare had decided to introduce the positive list system to its supervision of food-contacted containers and raw material of utensils with the plan of modifying Food Sanitation Law after the compiling of this positive list, which is planned to be completed in 2018.

The former negative list system employed by Japan stipulates that certain raw materials are forbidden to use in the production of food containers and utensils while other substances unlisted are allowed to add. The introduction of positive list system not only reduces the risk of mixing foreign material into food products, but also strengthens the supervision of imported food and unifies its standard with other countries.

The object which is planned to apply to the positive list system this time is synthetic resin. Although there is already positive list of synthetic resin worked out by relevant industry group, the substances in this positive list need to be counted and confirmed, and the policy should spread to relevant food industry, direct marketing industry and other related industries.

According to the clarification of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the positive list will center in raw materials that contact food directly, inner sides of food containers and materials with a high risk of dissolution and migration. At present, even the forbidden substances of other countries are required to be experimented so as to set standard to supervise the behindhand system.