Draft Japanese Standards for Gene Editing

The Japanese Government has recently released two draft rules and guideline regarding gene edited food products:

On June 28, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) published a draft guideline on the Specific Information Disclosure Procedures of Living Organisms Obtained through Use of Genome Editing Technology in Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Fields. Comments, written in Japanese, due to be submitted on Monday, July 29, 2019.
On June 27, 2019, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) released as draft rule on Handling Procedure of Foods and Food Additives Derived from Genome Editing Technology under Food Sanitation Act. Comments, written in Japanese, due to be submitted on Friday, July 26, 2019.

Translations, provided by the U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service, are available through this link.

The NAEGA Production Technology Committee is considering submitting comments on these drafts. NAEGA Members who are interested in contributing to these comments should contact a member of the Committee or Staff.

Ryan Olson