The CCASIA Region - Regional Coordinator Japan
The Coordinating Committee for Asia was established at the 11th Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Rome, Italy, in July 1976. Its first meeting was held in New Delhi (India) in January 1977.
The regional coordinator operates from within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.
Japan, as the regional coordinator for Asia, aims to pursue the following goals while upholding the Codex core values, i.e. inclusiveness, collaboration, consensus building, and transparency
- Foster collaboration and coordination within the region by facilitating the exchange of views, so that Asian members can be well-informed and effectively participate in the Commission and its subsidiary bodies; and,
- Promote open and constructive discussions at the Regional Coordinating Committee to identify the current, emerging, and critical issues concerning consumer health protection and ensuring fair practices in the food trade within the region, and to address these issues in a timely manner.
News from the region
Bhutan, India and Nepal gear up for joint Codex Trust Fund project
Officials of the Governments of Bhutan, India and Nepal launched a joint Codex Trust Fund Project at a workshop held in New Delhi, India 21 June 2019.
The project includes a mix of group and individual activities and will run for a period of three years. Year one will see a workshop on risk assessment, advocacy and awareness programmes and training for capacity building on Codex standard setting procedures and processes.
Ms. Rita Teaotia, Chairperson, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India [...]
04 July 2019
Korea celebrates its 18th Food Safety Day
People involved in the various activities along the food supply chain came together in Kwanghwamoon Square in Seoul, Korea on 10 May to celebrate the 18th of Korean Food Safety Day. This initiative kicks off the numerous celebrations that promise to mark the newly established World Food Safety Day.
Lee Eui Kyung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea said, “The World Food Safety Day is a great achievement of international collaboration”, which will highlight that “food [...]
12 May 2019
Indonesia proud to host Codex contaminants meeting
Penny K. Lukito, Head of the Food and Drug Authority of the Republic of Indonesia opened the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF), held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia 29 April to 3 May, 2019 and stated how proud Indonesia was to once again be trusted with co-hosting a Codex meeting.
Indonesia and The Netherlands are co-hosting CCCF13
The meeting is being attended by approximately 250 participants from 60 countries and in greeting delegates Wieke Tas, Chairperson from the permanent hosts of the [...]
30 April 2019
Netherlands and Indonesia co-host Codex contaminants meeting
The Netherlands began hosting the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food in 2007 and in the 13 sessions since then, five have been co-hosted abroad. When business gets underway on 29 April 2019, Yogyakarta, Indonesia will be the sixth foreign location.
Cooperation with Indonesia … has been a joy
When a country co-hosts they make a world-wide contribution to food safety. “The Netherlands and Codex have a long history together and co-hosting for us is a means to bring Codex and everything [...]
25 April 2019
Harmonizing national standards with Codex in Bangladesh
Senior officials of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), Ministry Officials, experts from academia, students, representatives of the food industry and officials from FAO met in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 4 April 2019 to gain a full understanding of the national strategy for harmonization of food standards with Codex.
Participants discuss national strategy for harmonization with Codex
“This meeting was important to explain the purpose of harmonization, the process involved, how to participate and the benefits on a national level”, said Sanjay Dave, former [...]
24 April 2019
Bridging differences on sweeteners
A 12-year long impasse started to gradually unravel during the 51st session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA51) in March 2019, when Codex Members found a new compromise on how to mutually respect their regulatory differences while not preventing international harmonization.
Among the standards that CCFA51 will send for adoption by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in July 2019 are revised provisions for the General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) that concern the use of sweeteners in some food categories. [...]
16 April 2019
Managing food additives at national level
Seven Codex Alimentarius Members took the stage on Tuesday 26 March to share the ways they manage food additives at national level. Australia, Brazil, China, the European Union (EU), Japan, Kenya and the United States outlined their regulatory frameworks at a side event on the second day of the 51st session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA).
Keen to capture the detailed information on screen, CCFA delegates snapped photos and, following the presentations, engaged in dialogue with the six [...]
27 March 2019
Codex Committee on Food Additives meets in Jinan, China
The Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) began its 51st session on Monday in Jinan, China.
Food additives are added to food to fulfil important technical functions related to the safety and quality of the products, but need to be used prudently in line with scientific risk assessments and maximum levels in order not to become a problem themselves. The Committee will look at a huge number of draft food additive provisions to be adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in [...]
25 March 2019
Codex salutes outgoing chair of Fats and Oils
Following 10 years’ service to the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils as chairperson and after nearly 40 years working on Codex in the Malaysian Ministry of Health, Noraini Dato’ Mohd Othman used her closing remarks at CCFO26 in Kuala Lumpur to announce her retirement.
Noraini Dato’ Mohd Othman, Chairperson
Noraini also served as the Vice Chair of Codex Alimentarius Commission for three terms from 2005 to 2008 and spoke of the privilege her service had brought. Chairing the Fats and Oils [...]
05 March 2019
Experts meet to discuss fats and oils in Malaysia
Members and Observers of the Codex Alimentarius Commission are meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia from 25 February to 1 March 2019 at the 26th session of the Codex Fats and Oils Committee. Discussions taking place include the addition of palm oil to the Codex Standard for Named Vegetable Oils; a proposed revision of the Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils; discussions on walnut oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, pistachio oil, flaxseed oil and avocado oil, as well as [...]
25 February 2019
Video Message
CCASIA Coordinator
All information on Codex is public and free.
For regional enquiries contact:
CCASIA Secretariat
International Standards Office, Food Safety Policy Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
1-2-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +81 3 3502 8732
E-mail: [email protected]