Two Countries, Two Lists of Nine
The US Food and Drug Administration recognizes 9 major food allergens, and Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency requires 9 “specified ingredients” on packaged foods, but the two lists are not the same nine. Both include milk, egg, wheat, and peanut. After that they split: Japan names shrimp, crab, walnut, and cashew individually and adds buckwheat, while the US uses the broader groups “crustacean shellfish” and “tree nuts” and also requires fish, soybeans, and sesame.
That difference matters most to families whose child reacts to something that is mandatory at home but only recommended in Japan. A US parent is used to sesame and soy being declared every time. In Japan, a package can legally contain either one without flagging it in the allergen summary. If you are planning a trip, our food allergy travel guide covers the packing and airport side; this article is the label-reading half.
Japan's allergen labels in three lines
- Mandatory (9 specified ingredients): egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut, cashew.
- Recommended (20 items): labeling is encouraged, not required, so these can be present without a flag.
- Scope: prepackaged processed foods. Restaurants and food sold over the counter are not covered.
The 9 Mandatory Items and the Words on the Package
Japanese uses three scripts, so the same food can show up in kanji, hiragana, or katakana. Here are the forms you are most likely to see, with romaji (Japanese written in the Latin alphabet) so you can say them out loud at a counter.
Mandatory specified ingredients (tokutei genzairyo)
- Egg: 卵 (tamago), also written たまご or 玉子
- Milk: 乳 (nyu), often 乳成分 (nyu seibun, milk components)
- Wheat: 小麦 (komugi)
- Buckwheat: そば (soba)
- Peanut: 落花生 (rakkasei), also ピーナッツ (pinattsu)
- Shrimp: えび (ebi)
- Crab: かに (kani)
- Walnut: くるみ (kurumi)
- Cashew: カシューナッツ (kashu nattsu)
Where to look: find the ingredient box labeled 原材料名 (genzairyo-mei, ingredient names). On many packages the allergens are gathered in parentheses at the end, in a phrase like （一部に小麦・卵・乳成分を含む） — “ichibu ni ... wo fukumu,” meaning “contains, in part, wheat, egg, and milk.” Some brands also print a small allergen chart with icons. Either way, the word you are scanning for is the same.
Two traps worth knowing. First, the character 乳 shows up in words that have nothing to do with cow's milk: 乳化剤 (nyukazai) is an emulsifier, and Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency materials explain that terms like this do not by themselves mean the product contains milk. Second, soy sauce (醤油, shoyu) is usually brewed with wheat, so wheat-allergic kids meet 小麦 in places US parents might not expect: rice crackers, teriyaki glazes, simmered dishes, and many onigiri fillings.
What Changed: Walnut in 2025, Cashew in 2026
If you read about Japan's allergen list a few years ago, you may remember a shorter list. It has grown in steps, which is why older travel blogs and phrase sheets often disagree.
- Walnut (くるみ, kurumi): moved from recommended to mandatory, with the transition period ending in April 2025. It is now required on packaged foods that contain it, from breads to baked sweets. Our walnut allergy guide covers where it hides.
- Cashew (カシューナッツ, kashu nattsu): became mandatory in April 2026, bringing the list to nine. There is a transition period through the end of March 2028, so for now a missing cashew label does not prove a product is cashew-free. Curry roux, nut mixes, and baked snacks deserve a second look; see cashew allergy in kids for the US side.
- Pistachio: is now on the recommended list, which has 20 items.
Practical upshot for a family landing in Japan before 2028: if cashew is your child's allergen, treat unlabeled nut-adjacent products with caution and ask the manufacturer or skip them.
The 20 Recommended Items, and Why “Not Labeled” Is Not “Not There”
Japan's recommended items (tokutei genzairyo ni junzuru mono, “items equivalent to specified ingredients”) are: almond, abalone, squid, salmon roe, orange, kiwi, beef, sesame, salmon, mackerel, soybean, chicken, banana, pork, macadamia, peach, yam, apple, gelatin, and pistachio.
Many manufacturers do label these, but the law leaves it to them. For families from the US, three gaps stand out:
- Sesame (ごま, goma): mandatory in the US since January 1, 2023; only recommended in Japan. Sesame is everywhere in Japanese food, from furikake rice seasoning to dressings. Our sesame guide has more.
- Soy (大豆, daizu): mandatory in the US; recommended in Japan. Soy sauce, miso, tofu, edamame, and kinako (roasted soybean flour) are staples.
- Fish: a US major allergen, but in Japan only salmon (さけ, sake), mackerel (さば, saba), and salmon roe (いくら, ikura) are on the recommended list. Bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and fish-based dashi stock flavor a huge share of savory dishes and are not on either Japanese list. See the fish allergy guide before you go.
Tree nuts work the same way. The US covers a wide group of tree nuts; Japan requires only walnut and cashew, recommends almond, macadamia, and pistachio, and does not list nuts such as hazelnut or pecan at all. For any recommended or unlisted allergen, the rule is simple: read the full ingredient list, and when you cannot tell, do not buy it.
Buckwheat: The One Japan Takes More Seriously
Buckwheat is mandatory in Japan and not a major allergen in the US, which tells you something about how often it turns up. Soba noodles are a daily food, buckwheat flour appears in some crackers and sweets, and soba is a tradition at New Year's Eve. Buckwheat allergy can be severe, so families who know about it should take restaurant kitchens seriously: a shop that serves soba may cook other noodles in the same water. The buckwheat allergy guide covers soba shops and travel in detail.
Restaurants, Bakeries, and Counters Are Not Covered
Japan's mandatory allergen labeling applies to prepackaged foods. A sealed bag of crackers or a packaged sandwich in a convenience store is covered. A plate at a restaurant, a pastry from a bakery case, deli items sold by weight, and food made and handed over at the counter are not. Some chains publish allergen charts in stores or online, which can help, but they are voluntary. This is similar to the US, where FALCPA labeling does not apply to restaurant meals either. If convenience stores (konbini) will be your snack base, our Japanese convenience store guide is a good companion.
The “made in the same factory as...” notes you may see on Japanese packages are voluntary precautionary statements, much like “may contain” in the US, where FDA has not defined that wording. How to weigh those statements is in our may contain labels guide.
Carry a Translated Allergy Card
In a restaurant, a card does the talking for you. Keep it short, specific, and serious. A simple line might read: この子は卵アレルギーです。少量でも危険です。 (Kono ko wa tamago arerugi desu. Shoryo demo kiken desu: “This child has an egg allergy. Even a small amount is dangerous.”) Swap in the allergen word from the list above. Mention dashi stock, soy sauce, or shared frying oil if those matter for your child.
- Get it checked: have a fluent speaker or a professional translator review your card before you rely on it.
- Make copies: one on paper in a wallet, one as a photo on every adult's phone.
- Accept a no gracefully: if staff cannot confirm ingredients, thank them and choose something else. A polite decline is common and respected.
Living in Japan longer term? School lunches, nursery forms, and grocery routines raise their own questions; start with moving to Japan with kids.
Safety Notes Beyond the Label
- Emergencies: carry your child's prescribed epinephrine auto-injector and emergency action plan at all times. In Japan, dial 119 for an ambulance (in the US, 911). Before traveling, check the official guidance from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on bringing medicines into the country, and pack enough for the whole trip in your carry-on.
- Choking is separate from allergy: Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency advises not giving hard beans or nuts to children age 5 and under, and the American Academy of Pediatrics lists whole nuts among choking hazards for young children. Mochi and dango need small pieces and close supervision.
- Labels help you choose, not diagnose: which foods your child avoids is a decision for your pediatrician or allergist, not a label list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many allergens must be labeled on packaged food in Japan?
Nine. Since April 2026, Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency lists nine mandatory specified ingredients: egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, shrimp, crab, walnut, and cashew. Walnut became fully mandatory in April 2025, and cashew was added in April 2026 with a transition period that runs to the end of March 2028, so some packages may not show cashew yet. Another 20 items, including soybean, sesame, almond, and salmon, are only recommended, which means a package can contain them without flagging them.
Is sesame or soy always labeled on Japanese packages?
No. In the United States, sesame and soy are both major allergens that must be declared, but in Japan they sit on the recommended list of 20 items. Many Japanese manufacturers do label them, yet the law does not require it. If your child reacts to sesame (goma) or soy (daizu), read the full ingredient list rather than relying on the allergen summary, and contact the manufacturer when you cannot tell. Soy is extremely common in Japanese cooking, from soy sauce to miso and tofu.
Does Japan's allergen labeling cover restaurants?
No. Japan's mandatory allergen labeling applies to prepackaged processed foods. Restaurants, bakery counters, delis, and food sold loose or wrapped at the counter are outside the requirement, and any allergen chart a restaurant offers is voluntary. That is similar to the United States, where FALCPA labeling also does not cover restaurant meals. When eating out in Japan, show a translated allergy card, ask before ordering, and skip the dish if staff cannot confirm what is in it.
What Japanese words should I look for on a food label?
Start with the nine mandatory items: 卵 (tamago, egg; also written たまご or 玉子), 乳 or 乳成分 (nyu or nyu seibun, milk), 小麦 (komugi, wheat), そば (soba, buckwheat), 落花生 or ピーナッツ (rakkasei or pinattsu, peanut), えび (ebi, shrimp), かに (kani, crab), くるみ (kurumi, walnut), and カシューナッツ (kashu nattsu, cashew). Allergens often appear in parentheses at the end of the ingredient list, in a phrase like 一部に小麦・卵を含む, meaning contains wheat and egg in part. Note that 乳化剤 (emulsifier) does not by itself mean milk.
What should we do if our child has a reaction while in Japan?
Follow the emergency action plan from your child's doctor. If epinephrine has been prescribed, use the auto-injector as instructed and call an ambulance. In Japan the number for an ambulance is 119, not 911. Before you travel, ask your pediatrician or allergist for a written plan and enough medication for the whole trip, keep it in your carry-on, and check the official guidance on bringing medicines into Japan. A translated card that says your child has a severe allergy helps responders and restaurant staff alike.
Sources
- Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan — Food Labeling Standards and related notices on allergen labeling (specified ingredients and items equivalent to specified ingredients), including the 2026 revision adding cashew.
- Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan — Handbook on food allergy labeling for processed foods.
- Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan — Advisory on preventing choking on foods in children (hard beans and nuts for children age 5 and under).
- US Food and Drug Administration — Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) and the FASTER Act of 2021 (sesame as the ninth major allergen).
- US Food and Drug Administration — Food Allergies: What You Need to Know; Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens (Edition 5, January 2025).
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org — Choking Prevention for Children.
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan — Information on bringing medicines into Japan for personal use.