Abstract
The New Health/Functional Claims System in Japan was enforced on April 1st, 2015. This 3^<rd> category of functional foods is tentatively named as "Food with Function Claims" in English. It was classified into FHC (Foods with Health Claims) and the non-approval system by government like the structure/function system in US under DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health Education Act). It was defined at the Food Labelling Standards in the Food Labelling Act of Cabinet. The main concepts for development of the new health/functional claims are the followings: ・It should be developed that both fresh and processed foods including dietary/food supplement can make health/functional claims. ・Food business operators are responsible for safety assessment and scientific substantiation on the health/functional claims, similar to structure/function claims of the dietary supplement system in US. On the contrary, vitamins are not applicable to this new system due to health and nutrition policy. As one of the members of The Vitamin Society of Japan, I can't understand this issue. From the scientific points of view, the future task and action for this new health claims system and international comparison of health claims of vitamins will be introduced.
