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The summary of the amendment to the Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food 
Additives, Etc. (Public Notice of Ministry of Health and Welfare No. 370, 1959) 
 
The government of Japan amended the specifications and standards for food 
apparatus, containers, and packaging (ACP) made from synthetic resin on June 1, 
2020. 
 
Outline 
 
 The Act Partially Amending the Food Sanitation Act, etc. (Act No. 46, 2018) 
promulgated in June 2018 fixed the Positive List System. Under this system, 
only substances that are raw materials of materials specified by Cabinet Order 
(the target material is synthetic resin; the same applies hereinafter) and that 
are listed in the Positive List are permitted to be used for ACP. 
 
 The paragraph (3) of Article 18 of the Food Sanitation Act (Act No. 233, 1947; 
hereinafter referred to as "the Act") prescribes that the substances as raw 
materials of materials specified by Cabinet Order must have standards 
stipulated in the paragraph (1) of Article 18 of the Act. Under the Matters on 
Partially Amending the Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, 
Etc. (Public Notice of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare No. 196, 2020), 
the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) amended the Specifications 
and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc. (Public Notice of Ministry of 
Health and Welfare No. 370, 1959) and established standards for the Positive 
List in the Public Notice (A. “General Specifications for Apparatus, or Containers 
and Packaging; or their Materials” of Chapter III. “Apparatus, and Containers 
and Packaging”). 
 
 The MHLW invited public comments on this amendment from August 9 through 
September 7, 2019 in Japan. 
 
 The Positive List is available at the MHLW website: 
in English: 
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/kig
u/index_00003.html 
in Japanese (original): 
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_05148.html 
 
 Attachment 
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 Details of the Positive List System are specified in the Enforcement Notice 
(Namashoku No. 0501-6, May 1, 2020) below. 
in English: 
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000651038.pdf  
in Japanese (original): 
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11130500/000813221.pdf 
 