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
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ACT / Pakistan endorses its 2nd National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance with support from the ACT project
Pakistan has successfully developed its 2nd National Action Plan (NAP) on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which will be active to 2028.
AMR presents a growing threat to global health, food safety, and sustainable development. Recognizing the urgent need to address this challenge, as reconfirmed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance 2024, the FAO-supported Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project has extended vital support to the Government of Pakistan in strengthening [...]
19 March 2025
CCFA55 / Setting standards for a changing food landscape
The 55th session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA55), convening in Seoul on 24 March, with physical working groups meeting on 21–22 March, will bring together leading experts to address the evolving challenges of food safety and additive regulation.
We sat down with Dr Fan Yongxian, Professor of the China National Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA), and Committee Chairperson, and Prof. Hae Jung Yoon, a seasoned JECFA expert and co-Chairperson of CCFA55, to discuss the meeting’s priorities, [...]
14 March 2025
Symposium raises Codex profile in Japan
An online symposium, "Understanding the Codex Alimentarius Commission – Transition of Food Safety Standards Administration," was held on November 19, 2024, in Tokyo, Japan, to increase public knowledge of the Codex Alimentarius Commission's work.
The event began with a keynote video message from Codex Secretary, Dr. Sarah Cahill. Dr. Junya Yafune, Director of the International Food Safety Office at the Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA), then spoke about Japan's food safety standards and their alignment with international standards. Researchers from the National [...]
16 December 2024
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Greater food industry engagement in Codex encouraged at workshop in Singapore
On 14 November 2024, Food Industry Asia (FIA) organized a capacity building workshop as part of its annual Members Day event. The session emphasized the critical role of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in harmonizing international food trade and ensuring food safety. Over 70 senior representatives from the food industry across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand attended the event, which was held in Singapore.
The workshop aimed to enhance participants' understanding of Codex principles and procedures. In-depth sharing on the latest developments [...]
04 December 2024
National Standardization Agency of Indonesia recognizes technical committees for national standards development
prepared by the Codex Contact Point of Indonesia
In celebrating World Standards Day, the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN) organized the Herudi Technical Committee Award, November 21, 2024, at the Jakarta Convention Center. This event was held to recognize technical committees involved in the development of the Indonesian National Standards (SNI) for their outstanding performance. The event brought together stakeholders from the standardization and conformity assessment sectors, including the food sector.
The event was officially opened by Chairman of BSN, followed [...]
02 December 2024
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CCASIA Codex Workshop on Food Control Systems and Risk Assessment Held in Harbin, China
From 6 to 9 November 2024, over 40 delegates from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam attended the CCASIA Codex “Workshop on Food Control Systems and Risk Assessment” held in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. In addition, representatives from Afghanistan, India and the Maldives participated online. China, as the Coordinator of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia, organized this programme.
The programme aimed to address the regional Members' needs for optimizing food [...]
12 November 2024
Importance of Codex standards showcased at the 8th Shenzhen Food Safety Forum
by Awilo Ochieng Pernet, Former Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
The 8th Shenzhen Food Safety Forum 2024, which took place on 5-6 November 2024 in Shenzhen (China) highlighted the importance of ensuring food safety in future in light of the rapid innovations and constant new developments in the food industry. On this occasion, the “Safety Supervision of Food Production” book was also launched.
This High-level Forum was hosted by the Shenzhen Food and Drug Safety Commission Office with the full support provided [...]
06 November 2024
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Training on Codex food standards and antimicrobial resistance held for food producers in Mongolia
On 4 October 2024, a training session on "Codex Alimentarius International Food Standards and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)" was organized by the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to Support Implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT) project, in collaboration with the Mongolian Food Industry Union. The event took place at the "Suu" joint-stock company, with the participation of more than 50 representatives from the food production and import sectors.
The primary objective of the training was to enhance participants' knowledge and understanding [...]
10 October 2024
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Understanding Codex Becomes Part of Standard Training for Young Korean Government Officers
Since 2022, Codex secretariats and FAO officers have been providing specialized training to new government officers entering the field of Codex work. This year, four Codex and FAO officers participated in a training programme organized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea, held on 26 September. Nearly 40 young officers from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries attended [...]
02 October 2024
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Regional workshop in Asia strengthens capacity to propose new Codex work
To strengthen capacity for better and more effective participation in Codex work for some Asian countries, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (FAORAP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Japan, jointly organized the regional workshop on Proposal for Codex New Work: Criteria and Structure, 25–27 September 2024, in Tokyo Japan. The workshop is part of a wider FAO-implemented five-year programme, Enhancing Capacity in Codex for Effective Participation and Contribution of Selected Countries in [...]
27 September 2024
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]