Welcome to Aichi Prefecture!!.
  The Aichi Prefectural Government has put into effect various measures for food hygine aimed at preventing the outbreak of sickness caused by poor sanitation．.
  The Aichi Prefectural Government also supervises and issues operation permits to food preparation establishments，offer guidance for the treatment of food，and carries out inspections to eliminate unsanitary food as well as inspections and analysis to determine the amount of residual agricultural chemicals and (heavy) metals remaining in foodstuffs．
  In addition，Aichi also educates food preparation establishments and food prepares about proper food hygiene and，in order to increase safety，also supports establishments' independent efforts for improved food handling/preparation practices．
  Through this homepage，we would like to briefly explain items relevant to foreign nationals：issuance of operation permits to restaurants and other food preparation establishments，how to prevent food poisoning，and a short explanation of food labeling．
  We hope this infomation will be of help and make your time here more safe and enjoyable．

Issuance of operation permits
  In accordance with Food Sanitation Law in Japan，food preparation establishments，such as restaurants and bento lunch preparers，must obtain permission to run their businesses．
  If you wish to open a food related establishment，please seek the advice of the public health center that has jurisdiction over the area where you wish to locate your business，since depending on the kind of business，restaurant or confectionary，for example，the type of permit differs，and you basically know how and what type of food will be produced before opening an establishment．
  When you go to the public health center，please take with you an outline of your business.

 Food labeling
  Food Sanitation Law in Japan requires that foods be labeled in order to "assure proper food safety"．
  Primary requirements for food labels：
＊　Be placed so it can be easily seen without removing the package wrapping
＊　Be written in Japanese to be easily understandable by both buyers and consumers
＊　Name and address of the manufacturer(or corporation)
＊　Expiration date of food
＊　Instructions for use；and instructions for storing，if appropriate
＊　List of additives present in the food

Expiration date labeling is divided into two types：
     a)   Foods whose quality rapidly deteriorates(spoils)，such as bento，raw meat etc.， (foods  to be consumed within about ５ days) are marked with the "Shohi-kigen"[消費期限] or  "Use by <date>"type label．
     b)   Foods that can be stored without rapid deterioration in quality，such as frozen foods， canned goods，etc.，are marked with the "Syoumi-kigen"[賞味期限] or  "Good until <date>"label．
   Note：The date indicated on these two labels denotes the latest date that the manufactures accepts responsibility for the safe consumption of the food product．(Not  following the storage instructions noted on the label renders the label meaningless．)

  In order to prevent food poisoning，please take careful note of the information required on food labels．

Importation of food products
  Food products imported into Japan for distribution or resale must meet certain standards set by Japanese law．
  Be aware that some foreign food products do not meet the standards set by domestic law．
  As part of the procedure for importing food products from abroad，a notification document must be submitted to the quarantine station with jurisdiction over the area where the goods will be loaded/unloaded.
  The goods are then examined，and if they do not violate Japanese law，may be imported into the country；if the food products are in violation of law，however，they must be disposed of or reloaded and returned．
  For details concerning the necessary steps and procedures，inquire with the quarantine station that you intend to file notification with．
  After importation，food products must be labeled in the manner mentioned above，since Japanese law requires that the contents of all food products be labeled．
  Distribute and resell imported products after properly labeling them−
Use the example label below as a reference．

(Example of a proper label in Japanese)

名称	クラッカー
原材料	小麦粉、砂糖、ショートニング、食塩、膨張剤
内容量	２００ｇ
賞味期限	２００５．１２．２５
保存方法	直射日光、高温多湿を避けて保存して下さい。
原産国	ブラジル
輸入者	○○食品株式会社 愛知県△△市××町１−１

Food poisoning
  Whenever symptoms such as diarrhea，stomachache，vomiting，or fever develop，the cause may be food poisoning．
  Should you experience any of the above symptoms，please consult a doctor as soon as possible．


  In order to fully enjoy your dietary life，please take care to handle your food properly．
  For further details，inquire with agencies related to food hygiene，such as your local health center．