The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) is the regulatory authority for Foods with Health Claims (FHC).

The Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) regulates the advertising and sale of food with health claims. Local health authorities oversee food manufacture.

Based on the functions and purpose, the Japan regulatory regulates and classifies Health Foods as

• FOSHU – Foods for Special Health Use.
• FNFC – Foods with Nutrient Function Claims.
• FOSDU – Foods for Special Dietary Use.

Foods for Special Health Use (FOSHU)

FOSHU refers to foods containing ingredients with functions for health, physiological functions, and biological activity on the body and is officially approved to claim its physiological effects on the human body.

Based on the application requirements and review process, the FOSHU are classified as

• Ordinary FOSHU,
• Standard FOSHU,
• Reduction of disease risk FOSHU, and
• Qualified FOSHU.

Foods with Nutrient Function Claims (FNFC)

Foods with Nutrient Functional Claims (FNFC) refers to foods labeled with the functions of their nutritional ingredients. They are considered to be the “foods with function claims”.

Foods for Special Dietary Use (FOSDU)

Foods for Special Dietary Use (FOSDU) products can use medical and nutritional expressions to indicate that they are appropriate to promote growth or maintain or recover health among infants, children, the infirm, and pregnant women.