Here is what you need to know about the food service license.
A license from a public health center is required for the 34 categories of food service listed below.
A food service license can be obtained through the following steps:
For consultations, etc. at a public health center, please bring a person who can speak Japanese.
For preliminary consultations, please contact the staff in charge of food and sanitation at a public health center in the jurisdiction of the address where the facility to be operated is located. A food service facility is subject to common standards and category-by-category standards.
A business operator that manufactures or processes specially designated foods is required to have an exclusive food sanitation manager stationed at each facility.
Specially designated foods:
Whole milk powder (limited to products put in a can whose capacity is 1,400 grams or less), sweetened milk powder, modified milk powder, meat products, fish ham, fish sausage, irradiated food, edible oil and fat (limited to products manufactured through a process of bleaching or deodorization), margarine, shortening and additives (limited to products whose standards are specified in accordance with Article 11 Paragraph 1 of the Food Sanitation Law)
To obtain a license of other food services, it is necessary to designate a person in charge of food sanitation (food sanitation manager) at each facility or division.
Qualifications to become a food sanitation manager:
A person who is qualified as a nutritionist, cook, confectionary hygienist, globe fish processor, poultry processing sanitation manager, cook on ships and vessels, etc. is eligible to become a food sanitation manager.
A person who has completed a training program for food sanitation managers (offered by the Aichi Prefectural Government, etc.) is also eligible to become a food sanitation manager.
The Aichi Prefectural Government sets the validity period of the food service license based on an assessment system.
Specifically, a field survey is conducted on the facility to be operated, the robustness of the facility and durability of the equipment are screened, and a validity period (ranging from 5 to 8 years) is set based on certain criteria when a food service license is granted.
The standards for assessing and setting a validity period of a food service license are given below.
Standard for assessing a validity period of a food service license| Assessment item | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Building | Steel frame or reinforced concrete, stone, block, brick |
| 2 | Ceiling/inner wall | Concrete, mortar, tile, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal |
| 3 | Structure of the ceiling | Pipes, etc. are all arranged in the back of the ceiling, and the surface of the ceiling is smooth. |
| 4 | Floor/wainscoting | Concrete, mortar, tile, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal |
| 5 | Structure of inner wall/floor | The inner wall and the floor are connected with a round structure. When wainscots are installed, the upper part from the connection is 45 degrees or less. |
| 6 | Air-conditioning equipment | Temperature control with machines |
| 7 | Cleaning/hand-washing equipment | Concrete, tile, ceramic, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal The cleaning equipment has one or more hot-water supply systems. |
| 8 | Storage equipment | Concrete, stone, block, brick, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal |
| 9 | Refrigeration/freezing equipment | Concrete, tile, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal and mechanisms |
| 10 | Equipment for manufacture, processing, cooking and sale | Concrete, tile, stainless steel or other corrosion-resistant metal |
| 11 | Water supply | Tap water in accordance with the Water Supply Law |
| 12 | Washroom | Flush type |
Standard for setting a validity period
The validity period is determined based on the number of assessment items which meet the standard.
| Number of assessment items which meet the standard | Validity period of license |
|---|---|
| 0-5 items | 5 years |
| 6-9 items | 6 years |
| 10-11 items | 7 years |
| 12 items | 8 years |
The Aichi Prefectural Government stipulates measures which must be taken by food service providers to ensure public health. Food service providers are required to abide by the municipal ordinance concerning standards for food service sanitation.
Standard of measures that should be taken in terms of public health
Public health center staff (food sanitation supervisors) visit a food service facility on an irregular basis, and inspect the items listed on a supervision slip.
Different supervision slips are used for ordinary commercial facilities, food manufacturing facilities, and bulk cooking facilities. At the first supervision, the results are written on the slips, which are then issued to the business operators.
A supervision slip is designed to record 5 rounds of supervision results. Please keep the issued supervision slip, and present it when requested by food sanitation supervisors.
Please immediately improve any items which are judged inappropriate.
Inquiries about food sanitation are accepted at the public health centers (food sanitation sections) listed below.
To make an inquiry, etc. at a public health center, please bring a person who can speak Japanese.
| Name of public health center | Address | Telephone number |
|---|---|---|
| Ichinomiya Public Health Center (Food Sanitation Section) | 1-3 Kogane-machi, Ichinomiya City | 0586-72-0321 |
| Ichinomiya Public Health Center, Inazawa Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 2200-11 Tsukabata, Otsuka-cho, Inazawa City | 0587-21-2251 |
| Seto Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 38-1 Mitsuke-cho, Seto City | 0561-82-2196 |
| Seto Public Health Center, Toyoake Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 142-20 Ishibata, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake City | 0562-92-9133 |
| Kasugai Public Health Center (Food Sanitation Section) | 2-31 Kashiwai-cho, Kasugai City | 0568-31-2188 |
| Kasugai Public Health Center, Komaki Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 3-62 Horinouchi, Komaki City | 0568-77-3241 |
| Konan Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 80 Hoteishimoyama-cho-nishi, Konan City | 0587-56-2157 |
| Shikatsu Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 114 Nishimuramae, Shikata, Kitanagoya City | 0568-23-5811 |
| Tsushima Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 4-50-2 Tachibana-cho, Tsushima City | 0567-26-4137 |
| Handa Public Health Center (Food Sanitation Section) | 1-45-4 Deguchi-cho, Handa City | 0569-21-3341 |
| Handa Public Health Center, Mihama Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 403 Aza-Kamimaeda, Oaza-Kowa, Mihama-cho, Chita-gun | 0569-82-0078 |
| Chita Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 88-2 Aza-Arakoato, Yawata, Chita City | 0562-32-6211 |
| Kinuura-tobu Public Health Center (Food Sanitation Section) | 1-12 Ote-machi, Kariya City | 0566-21-4778 |
| Kinuura-tobu Public Health Center, Anjo Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 93 Shimokegachi, Yokoyama-cho, Anjo City | 0566-75-7441 |
| Kinuura-tobu Public Health Center, Kamo Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 1-22-1 Nishiki-cho, Toyota City | 0565-31-1630 |
| Nishio Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 12 Shimoda, Yorizumi-cho, Nishio City | 0563-56-5241 |
| Shinshiro Public Health Center (Sanitation Section) | 6-1 Aza-Nakano, Shinshiro City | 0536-22-2203 |
| Shinshiro Public Health Center, Shitara Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 28-2 Aza-Mukaigiya, Oaza-Taguchi, Shitara-cho, Kitashitara-gun | 0536-62-0571 |
| Toyokawa Public Health Center (Food Sanitation Section) | 3-237 Suwa, Toyokawa City | 0533-86-3188 |
| Toyokawa Public Health Center, Gamagori Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 4-2 Hama-cho, Gamagori City | 0533-69-3156 |
| Toyokawa Public Health Center, Tahara Branch Office (Sanitation Section) | 15-2 Shimohachikenya, Tahara-cho, Tahara City | 0531-22-1238 |
For an applicant in Nagoya City, please contact a public health center in your ward. For an applicant in Toyohashi City, Okazaki City or Toyota City, please contact a public health center in your city.
Aichi Prefectural Government Office
1-2-3 San-no-maru, Naka-ku, Nagoya City 460-8501