Japan: Japanese Health Ministry Continues Discussions on Genome Edited Food

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare held its second and third public discussions on the handling of food products derived from genome editing technology on October 15 and November 19, 2018, respectively. The “Research Sub-Committee for Genetically Modified Food” (the SubCommittee) continued its discussions with a focus on the risk of off-target mutation, the handling of food products being categorized as not-genetically engineered (GE), and the mechanisms and scope for voluntary notification for non-GE products. The Sub-Committee also invited representatives from six groups to present their views on genome editing technology. The Sub-Committee’s next discussion is expected to be held on December 5, 2018.

Japan: Japanese Health Ministry Continues Discussions on Genome Edited Food