JAS History

The JAS System was introduced in 1950 as the Agricultural and Forestry Standard Law.  It assumed its current status in 1970 with the addition of quality labeling standards system. The JAS System has been reviewed in light of social situations and other pertinent factors.  For example, after deceptive labeling cases in 2002, the JAS system needed to be improved to assure reliable labeling and meet new social demands.

Law Revisions

In 2005, JAS certifiers are now accredited by MAFF to make the final decision on the certification of their clients. These Registered Certified Bodies are now private sector third-party organizations and no longer agencies of MAFF. It is important to note that if a Registered Certified Body’s registration were to be cancelled it automatically makes certifications of its operations invalid because the government is no longer directly involved in the certification process.

A three year interim period is provided for certified operators under the previous JAS Law. They are recommended to be certified by Registered Certifying Bodies under the revised JAS Law and periodically audited so that they are confirmed to comply with the technical criteria for certification.

Under the new revised Law, the are now fewer registered certified bodies and therefore, some operators will be certified with a new certifier. For the operators that this pertains to, the name of the certifying body printed at the bottom of their JAS labels will change to reflect this.