How to Read Japanese Food Allergy Labels

Why Japanese Labels Are Different

Japan has one of the world's most comprehensive allergen labeling systems, regulated by the Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁). Unlike the US or EU, Japan splits allergens into two tiers: 8 mandatory allergens that must always appear on labels, and 20 recommended allergens that responsible manufacturers voluntarily declare.

The 8 Mandatory Allergens (特定原材料)

These must legally appear on all packaged food sold in Japan:

• 🥜 Peanuts (落花生 / らっかせい)
• 🦐 Shrimp (えび)
• 🦀 Crab (かに)
• 🌾 Wheat (小麦)
• 🥛 Milk (乳)
• 🥚 Eggs (卵)
• 🍎 Buckwheat (そば) — yes, buckwheat/soba counts as a top allergen in Japan
• 🦑 Squid used to be on the list; it was replaced by Walnuts (くるみ) in 2023

The 20 Recommended Allergens (特定原材料に準ずるもの)

These are voluntarily declared by manufacturers. You'll often see them on labels, but you can't always count on them:

• Abalone (あわび), Squid (いか), Salmon roe (いくら)
• Oranges (オレンジ), Cashews (カシューナッツ), Kiwi (キウイフルーツ)
• Beef (牛肉), Sesame (ごま), Salmon (さけ), Mackerel (さば)
• Soybeans (大豆), Chicken (鶏肉), Banana (バナナ), Pork (豚肉)
• Matsutake mushroom (まつたけ), Peach (もも), Yam (やまいも)
• Apple (りんご), Gelatin (ゼラチン), Almonds (アーモンド)

How to Read the Label

Look for the allergen summary box, usually at the bottom of the ingredient list. It often appears as:

「アレルギー物質を含む食品」(Foods containing allergenic substances)

Followed by the allergen names in parentheses after each ingredient, or as a consolidated list at the end like: 「（一部に小麦・乳成分・卵を含む）」meaning "Contains some wheat, dairy, and egg."

Key Symbols and Phrases to Know

• 含む (fukumu) — contains
• 不使用 (fu-shiyou) — does not use / free from
• 原材料 (gen-zairyou) — ingredients
• アレルギー表示 (allergy hyouji) — allergen labeling
• 製造工場では○○を含む製品を製造しています — manufactured in a facility that also processes [allergen]

Pro Tip: Use TravelSafe Japan

Reading Japanese labels in a supermarket aisle can be overwhelming. Just take a photo with the TravelSafe Japan scanner — it reads the label and maps every ingredient against the full 28-allergen database in seconds, with clear safe/caution/danger results.