Japan Publishes Final Version of the Positive List

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published the final version (in Japanese) of the reorganized positive list (PL) on November 30, 2023. This final version will take effect on June 1, 2025.

Consistent with prior updates on the development of the PL, there will be a transition period until May 31, 2025. During the transition period, “existing substances,” which include substances that are listed in the June 1, 2020 version of the PL (Table 1 and Table 2) and substances that were otherwise used in food-contact “synthetic resins” in Japan before June 1, 2020 (even if not explicitly cleared by the current Tables), may continue to be placed on the Japanese market.