In keeping with the development of various new varieties, the regulation was loosened in 1998 through a notification by the Manager, Inspection Department of the Food Agency, to state that 'it should be determined by taking all characters into consideration based on the properties proper to the variety.'
多用な新種の開発にともなって同年、食糧庁検査課長による通達により「品種固有の特性をふまえ、形質全体で判断する」という内容へ規制緩和された。