Japan Finds False Origin Labeling on Salted Mackerel, Orders Corrective Action on 19.2 Tonnes of Product

Tokyo — Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has issued an instruction to seafood trading company Tsuri-Hachi Co., Ltd. (株式会社つり八), requiring it to correct a series of improper matters concerning the labeling of raw material origin and country of manufacture on its salted mackerel products. MAFF verified that some batches had already entered the market with incomplete or inaccurate labeling regarding raw material source and country of manufacture declarations.

The administrative instruction was formally issued on October 27 and covers 19,215 kg of salted mackerel products sold between July 31, 2025 and January 31, 2026. These goods were shipped to retail operators and processing companies as processed food for commercial use.

The violations were identified through inspections conducted by the Kanto Regional Agricultural Administration Office between March 9 and October 2, 2026.

MAFF's investigation confirmed multiple methods of falsification and non-compliant labeling on boneless salted mackerel products intended to be eaten after heating and cooking.

In one documented case, the raw material origin was required to be labeled as both Norway and the United Kingdom, but the commercial label showed only the UK origin. Inspectors also found that batches requiring combined labeling of Indonesian and Vietnamese origin bore only Vietnam on the label.

In the most serious cases of violation, products processed entirely within Japan were falsely labeled as manufactured in Indonesia, Vietnam or China. The Japanese authorities determined that these practices directly violated the provisions of laws and regulations on food information labeling, particularly the standards ensuring that trade buyers and end consumers receive accurate origin information.

Based on the above violations, MAFF issued an administrative order under the relevant provisions of the Food Labeling Act. The operator must immediately review the labeling specifications of all food inventory and correct non-compliant declarations before any subsequent commercial distribution.

MAFF also required the company to conduct an internal root-cause analysis, clarify management responsibility, and strengthen verification and audit processes in the production of commercial labels. The administrative assessment noted that the violations stemmed from systemic deficiencies in the data management system and insufficient understanding within the organization of statutory labeling obligations.

The binding instruction requires comprehensive regulatory compliance training for all management levels and processing personnel. Tsuri-Hachi must submit a compliance implementation report to the authorities by November 27, 2026, detailing all corrective and preventive measures.

This enforcement action comes in a context where mackerel shipments in the Japanese market typically pass through multiple stages of procurement, import, secondary processing and wholesale before completing final commercial circulation. Raw material origin labeling and country of manufacture declaration are two distinct statutory obligations, both of which must accurately record the source of raw material procurement and the processing interventions.

The investigation also showed that origin disclosure requirements apply strictly to professional and commercial supply channels and are not limited to retail consumer packaging.