How Much Does Halal Certification Cost? A Breakdown, and Ways to Serve Muslim Customers Without It

Published: September 10, 2026 / Last updated: November 8, 2026

Category: For businesses

Halal certification costs combine annual membership fees, application fees, audit fees for on-site inspections, and the auditors’ travel and accommodation expenses. They are not a one-time payment: costs recur at renewal.

Among the fees published by certification bodies, the Japan Halal Certification Promotion Organization (JHCPO) gives a standard audit fee of 163,000 yen, excluding tax, with actual travel and accommodation expenses charged separately. Nihon Halal Foundation (a halal certification body in Japan; not the Japan Halal Foundation) gives around 40,000 yen for a restaurant as an example of inspection costs. It also charges a 20,000 yen application fee, excluding tax, plus travel expenses and, in some cases, annual membership fees.

The “200,000–500,000 yen” figure that appears in searches is JHCPO’s indication for a simple assessment of a single product. It is not a figure from a survey of market rates across the industry.

This article breaks down the costs using figures certification bodies publish on their own websites. We then compare them with another option restaurants can choose: accurately disclosing what they offer without obtaining certification.

Certification bodies’ websites do not describe the option of going without certification. This article aims to explain that option too, including what to prepare and how.

All fees quoted are figures published by the bodies themselves, with sources listed at the end. Where explanations from other media are cited, this is identified in the text. Systems and fees change, so check each body’s latest published information before taking action.

First, Japan has no single “official” halal certification

Before discussing costs, there is one point to understand. Missing it can lead later decisions astray.

Japan has no single halal certification system set by the government. Independent private organizations issue certifications. Their assessment standards, fees, validity periods, and mutual recognition with overseas bodies all differ.

This is stated in materials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), rather than being a guess.

“Halal rules are, in principle, religious rules rather than laws (secular laws).” “They are not codified, and details differ by country and region.” MAFF Export and International Affairs Bureau (Overseas Regulatory Affairs Division), “Basic Information on Halal” (April 2026)

“There is no halal certification accepted in every country.” MAFF Food Industry Affairs Bureau, “Guide for Exporting Halal Food” (February 2015), p. 12

The April 2026 materials list six main halal-related organizations in Japan. Their legal forms include religious corporations, nonprofit organizations, and general incorporated associations. None is a government body.

A statement such as “We have obtained halal certification” therefore does not establish what is guaranteed or how far it extends. Which body issued it, under which standards, and until when is it valid? Those three points make the statement useful information.

This structure also affects costs. Different standards mean different amounts of equipment investment and operational changes, even under the same phrase “obtaining certification.” A kitchen workflow accepted by one body may require further separation for another. This can happen, so a single standard price for the total cost is unrealistic from the outset.

One detail: the latter guide dates from 2015. Its description of the basic structure still applies, but national regulations have changed over those 11 years. We discuss this later.

Also, those six organizations are not every body in Japan. Neither JHCPO nor Nihon Halal Foundation, whose fees we quote here, is on the list. The listed Japan Halal Foundation (JHF) has a similar name to Nihon Halal Foundation, but they have different websites and addresses and are separate organizations. Being listed does not indicate better or worse certification. We summarize how to choose a body later.

The cost is not one number

Reading certification bodies’ fee pages shows four layers of cost.

Annual membership fees

Some bodies include annual membership fees in their certification fee lists.

Nihon Halal Foundation’s fee page lists 100,000 yen for regular members with voting rights to elect officers and 20,000 yen for regular members without those rights, both excluding tax. It says the membership year renews each April.

The issue is that the same page does not say whether membership is a condition of certification. Annual membership fees, application fees, and certification inspection fees are simply listed together. The page alone does not establish whether the annual membership fee is unavoidable.

Treat it as a possible cost to check first. If it applies every year, it adds up to 60,000–300,000 yen over three years. The quickest way is to ask, “Do we need to be members to obtain certification?” (認証を受けるのに会員である必要がありますか).

Application fees

This is the fee for accepting an application. Nihon Halal Foundation publishes a flat fee of 20,000 yen, excluding tax.

Although relatively small, it is the kind of fee that is not refunded if an application is unsuccessful.

For the steps from application to receiving a certificate, and approximate timeframes by body, see How to Get Halal Certification: The Steps from Application to Certificate, and Timeframes Given by Six Organizations.

Audit fees (on-site assessment)

This is the main component, and the one with the widest range.

JHCPO explicitly states a standard audit fee of 163,000 yen, plus consumption tax. It comprises an audit charge of 148,000 yen and a certificate issuance fee of 15,000 yen.

Nihon Halal Foundation says it will provide a quote after a discussion, while also giving examples of inspection costs.

Food sales and restaurants: around 40,000 yen
Processed meat factories: around 1.2–2 million yen
Cosmetics-related businesses: around 1.2–1.5 million yen

That is a 30–50-fold difference between a restaurant and a meat processing factory. Under the same phrase “halal certification,” different industries can mean different orders of magnitude. Figures suggesting that halal certification costs several hundred thousand yen may refer to food manufacturers and may not apply directly to restaurants.

Travel and accommodation

These expenses are often outside the quote.

JHCPO explicitly says actual travel and accommodation expenses are charged separately, and overseas audits are quoted individually. Nihon Halal Foundation likewise says domestic travel expenses from Tokyo are billed separately.

The farther a restaurant is from the certification body, the more the same assessment costs overall. Restaurants outside major cities should be sure to check this. Can the auditor make a day trip, will accommodation be needed, and how many people will come? These alone can change the bill by tens of thousands of yen.

And these costs recur

Halal certifications have validity periods. Halal Lab (a Japanese website on halal certification) explains that validity is usually one to four years and periodic audits take place every one or two years. This is that website’s account; actual periods and frequency differ by body and should be checked before applying.

Look at the total over three years of operation, rather than deciding on the initial cost alone.

Using published information, a restaurant’s possible cost structure looks like this.

Layer of cost	Examples of published fees	Frequency
Annual membership fee	20,000–100,000 yen, excluding tax, if charged by the body	Every year
Application fee	20,000 yen, excluding tax	Per application
Audit and certification fee	Around 40,000 yen (restaurant example) / 163,000 yen (excluding tax; standard fee)	Per application
Travel and accommodation	Actual expenses, depending on distance from the body	Per application or audit
Renewal and periodic audits	Similar to the above	Every one or two years

All fees are quoted from the bodies’ published pages listed at the end. Only the frequency of renewal and periodic audits is an indication based on the secondary source mentioned above. Fee structures themselves differ by body. Treat this table as one example for understanding the structure, rather than market rates.

The point of this table is what to ask about, rather than a total. Instead of only asking “How much does certification cost?” (認証にいくらかかりますか), ask separately: “Is there an annual membership fee?” (年会費はありますか), “Does the audit fee include travel?” (監査費用に交通費は含まれますか), and “What are the validity period and frequency of periodic audits?” (有効期間と定期監査の頻度は). That gives you quotes you can compare.

Published fees side by side

Here are the sources of the previous section’s figures, organized by body.

Japan Halal Certification Promotion Organization (JHCPO)

Audit fee: standard 163,000 yen, plus consumption tax
Breakdown: 148,000 yen audit charge + 15,000 yen certificate issuance fee
Travel and accommodation: actual expenses charged separately
Overseas audits: individually quoted

Explicit fees help with budgeting. However, no division by industry, such as restaurants or food manufacturing, is given. For a specific quote, the website asks you to inquire with product information.

Nihon Halal Foundation

Annual membership: 100,000 yen for regular members with rights to elect officers / 20,000 yen without those rights (both excluding tax; membership year renews each April)
Application fee: flat 20,000 yen, excluding tax
Certification inspection fee: quoted after discussion (domestic travel expenses from Tokyo charged separately)
Inspection cost examples: food sales and restaurants, around 40,000 yen / processed meat factories, around 1.2–2 million yen / cosmetics-related businesses, around 1.2–1.5 million yen

Industry-specific examples make this easier to apply to your own restaurant. For restaurants, the page can be read as an inspection fee of around 40,000 yen, plus the application fee, travel expenses, and possibly annual membership fees.

Where does “200,000–500,000 yen” come from?

The figure “halal certification costs 200,000–500,000 yen” appears often online. One source is the “general cost range” explanation on JHCPO’s website. It says simple assessment of a single product may start at around 200,000–500,000 yen, that costs can exceed 1 million yen depending on the product and certification body, and that annual audit and renewal fees of several hundred thousand yen are also common.

But these are cost indications from one certification body on its own website, not an independent industry survey. The evidence is weak for treating them as industry market rates.

These figures also assume product-level assessments. In the example above, a restaurant’s inspection fee was around 40,000 yen. It would be a shame for a restaurant to stop considering certification on the assumption that it costs 500,000 yen.

Equally, a food manufacturer should not assume 40,000 yen is enough. First identify which situation applies to you, then request a quote.

Whether you need certification depends on whom you serve

With the costs explained, we reach the main question: do you need certification at all?

The answer depends on the people you want to serve. Here are common situations.

Serving customers at a restaurant in Japan

In this situation, halal certification is not a requirement.

As quoted above, halal rules are not themselves secular law, and certification in Japan is a voluntary private system. We have not identified Japanese legislation that directly sets the content of halal representations. You can operate and explain what you offer without certification.

This does not mean you can write anything you like without certification. Even without halal-specific regulation, rules on representations (表示: labels, descriptions and claims), such as the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations and the Food Labeling Act, still apply. Claiming to meet needs that you do not actually meet could constitute misleading representations about quality. More fundamentally, people who trust the information and eat the food can suffer actual harm. We discuss specific examples later.

For context, Japan’s Muslim population is estimated at around 420,000: 363,413 foreign Muslims and 55,000 Japanese Muslims. The estimate concerns late 2024 to early 2025, combining resident foreign national statistics as of the end of December 2024 with overstayer figures as of January 1, 2025. For visitors, 640,600 people came from Indonesia in 2025, up 23.8% year on year, and 636,600 from Malaysia, up 25.6%. If your aim is to serve these customers in Japan, there are things to do before seeking certification.

Exporting to Indonesia or Malaysia

Certification is more likely to be needed here, and the situation is changing.

MAFF’s 2015 guide says processed foods can be exported to Indonesia and Malaysia even without halal certification (p. 13). But applying that statement unchanged today is risky. Indonesia is phasing in mandatory halal certification under law, with transition periods set by government regulation.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)’s reports show the following timeline.

Covered businesses or products	Timing of the requirement
Medium and large businesses in Indonesia	Requirement took effect on October 17, 2024, as originally planned
Micro and small businesses in Indonesia	Extended until October 17, 2026 (capital of up to 5 billion rupiah or annual sales of up to 15 billion rupiah)
Imported food	Transition period until October 17, 2026; uncertified products can be imported and distributed until then

The basis for delaying the imported food requirement is Article 160 of Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024. It says the minister will decide by October 17, 2026, taking the status of mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) into account.

Legal preparations for the deadline then progressed in 2026.

A March 2026 JETRO article says current law requires halal certification labeling for imported food and other products from October 18, 2026. This can be read as October 17 being the last transition day and the requirement beginning on October 18. In May, a decision by the head of BPJPH (Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency) identified covered products by HS code. BPJPH Regulation No. 2 of 2026 was then promulgated on June 5. Article 7 sets out written warnings, fines, revocation of halal certification, and withdrawal of products from distribution. Article 17(a) explicitly identifies failure to obtain required halal certification after the transition period as a violation.

With a penalty framework also in place, it is better to view preparations as proceeding toward enforcement on schedule. This is no longer a situation where a postponement means there is nothing to worry about for now.

A note on timing: October 17, 2026, the stated last day of transition, is about five weeks after this article’s publication. The account above is based on JETRO reports through June 2026. At the time of writing, we could not confirm whether the ministerial decision required by the government regulation had actually been issued. A February 2025 JETRO report also mentioned that the grace period might be shortened before the deadline. If considering exports, check JETRO’s latest information and the destination’s requirements directly. This article focuses on restaurants serving customers in Japan, so we leave export requirements here.

Displaying a halal logo to attract customers

This is understandable as a business decision, but the costs and benefits need a careful look.

A certification logo attracts customers when they recognize it. Japan has no single logo; each body has its own. Whether customers see it as trustworthy depends on which bodies they know.

For exports, the issue is clear: the relationship with JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) matters for Malaysia, and with BPJPH for Indonesia. Restaurant customers’ criteria vary greatly by individual and are not determined by nationality alone. There are many situations where specific information on what you offer may communicate more than a logo.

You can check which Japanese bodies Malaysia and Indonesia recognize in those countries’ published official lists. For our findings and the checking process, see Is Japanese Halal Certification Recognized in Malaysia and Indonesia? Checking Those Countries’ Official Lists. For other countries, MAFF’s materials provide a table of each body’s mutual recognition status. Coverage differs by body, so confirm directly with the certification body in the end.

Disclosing what you offer without certification

This is a practical option for restaurants serving customers in Japan: accurately disclose the extent of what you offer without obtaining certification.

This is not cutting corners. It can communicate more information than a certification logo. A logo says standards were met; disclosure can explain which points are met and which remain unconfirmed.

Be ready to answer the following four areas with “yes,” “no,” or “not checked.”

Pork and pork-derived ingredients

This covers ingredients derived from pigs as well as meat itself. These are easy to miss.

Gelatin (ゼラチン): desserts, gummies, aspic, and some capsules
Lard (ラード): Chinese cooking, frying oil, bread, and sweets
Ingredients in consomme (コンソメ) and bouillon (ブイヨン)
Some emulsifiers (乳化剤) and shortening (ショートニング)

Ingredient lists cannot answer everything, so checking with manufacturers may be necessary. “We do not use pork” and “We do not use pork-derived ingredients” are different answers. For reading labels and components not listed, see How to Spot Pork and Alcohol on Ingredient Lists, and What the Label Alone Can’t Tell You.

Alcoholic drinks

This is relatively easy to establish. Even if the restaurant does not serve alcohol, it is helpful to disclose whether customers may bring their own.

Cooking sake, mirin, and brewed vinegar

This is an area that is easy to overlook.

Even restaurants avoiding pork and alcoholic drinks may use cooking sake (料理酒) or mirin (みりん) as seasonings. This is especially common in Japanese cooking.

Simmered dishes, teriyaki, and dashi omelets (だし巻き卵): mirin and cooking sake
Vinegared dishes (酢の物) and sushi rice: brewed vinegar (醸造酢)
Some miso (味噌) and soy sauce (醤油) products
Western liquor (洋酒) used in cakes, sweets, and bread

“No alcohol used” (アルコール不使用) may mean the restaurant serves no alcoholic drinks, or that it uses none at all, including in seasonings. The meaning differs by restaurant. Be ready to answer those two points separately.

Our restaurant pages are also designed to display “Alcoholic drinks not served” (アルコール飲料不提供) and “Cooking sake, mirin, and brewed vinegar not used” (調理酒・みりん・醸造酢不使用) in separate rows. Combining them would lose information because the same words can carry different meanings.

Different types of mirin have different alcohol contents

There are three types of products called mirin, and each has a different alcohol content.

Type	Alcohol content	Treatment under the Liquor Tax Act
Hon mirin (本みりん)	Around 14%	Alcoholic beverage, subject to liquor tax
Mirin-type seasoning (fermented seasoning) (みりんタイプ調味料（発酵調味料）)	Around 11%	Not an alcoholic beverage under the Act because salt is added
Mirin-style seasoning (みりん風調味料)	Less than 1%	Not an alcoholic beverage under the Act

For alcohol in seasonings as a whole, including soy sauce, miso, and vinegar, see Are Soy Sauce, Mirin, Miso, and Vinegar Halal? Checking the Ingredients of Japanese Seasonings for Alcohol, based on manufacturers’ published information.

You may see explanations saying something is fine because it is not legally an alcoholic beverage. But classification under the Liquor Tax Act and the presence of alcohol are different issues. Even mirin-style seasoning contains alcohol below 1%.

This site does not judge whether that is acceptable. Our policy is to state which type is used and how much, and leave the decision to the user. Restaurants can follow the same approach. Giving the type, such as “Hon mirin used” (本みりんを使用) or “Mirin-style seasoning used (alcohol content below 1%)” (みりん風調味料を使用（アルコール分1%未満）), makes the information much more useful.

Cooking utensils and kitchen areas

If the same fryer is used for pork cutlets, the frying oil is shared. The same cutting board, griddle, or tongs also matter. Separating these makes a substantial difference to what is actually provided.

If complete separation is difficult, the best approach is to say accurately that they are not separated. Readers can then decide for themselves.

Check each ingredient

To answer those four areas, you need to check ingredients. Labels cannot establish everything, so inquiries to manufacturers or suppliers may be needed.

Here is wording you can use directly.

To answer a customer’s inquiry about your “[product name and specification],” please confirm the following points. (御社の「（商品名・規格）」について、お客様からのお問い合わせに回答するため、以下の点を確認させてください。)

Do you use pork or pork-derived ingredients, such as gelatin, lard, or pork-derived emulsifiers or enzymes? (豚肉および豚由来の原料（ゼラチン、ラード、豚由来の乳化剤・酵素など）を使用していますか)

Do you use alcohol, including ethanol, alcohol (酒精, shusei), Western liquor, hon mirin, or cooking sake, as an ingredient or during production? If so, what is the alcohol percentage in the finished product? (アルコール（エタノール、酒精、洋酒、本みりん、料理酒）を原料または製造工程で使用していますか。使用している場合、最終製品のアルコール分は何パーセントですか)

Are products containing pork or pork-derived ingredients made on the same production line? (同一の製造ラインで、豚肉または豚由来原料を含む製品を製造していますか)

Could you provide your answers in a product standards sheet or specification sheet? (上記について、規格書または仕様書の形でご回答いただけますか)

For any points you cannot establish, an answer of “unknown” is fine. (断定できない項目については「不明」とご回答いただいて構いません。)

These are common pitfalls when asking.

Do not start with “Is it halal?” (ハラルですか). Manufacturers may be unable to judge either, so the answer often stops at “We don’t know.” Ask about source materials and production steps separately to receive factual answers.

Be sure to ask about shared production lines. Even if the ingredients contain no pork, accidental mixing remains possible when pork products are made on the same line. Some people care about this, so it is worth establishing as a fact.

Get the answer in writing. Relying only on a verbal answer to claim needs are met is risky. A specification sheet can be shown directly if someone later asks for confirmation.

One point about records: a menu-based table needs redoing whenever the menu changes. Seasonings and oils used do not change so often, so ingredient-based records are easier to maintain.

Ingredient	Pork-derived components	Alcohol	How checked	Date checked
Soy sauce A	None	Contains alcohol (酒精)	Specification sheet	2026-09-01
Mirin-style seasoning B	None	Alcohol content below 1%	Specification sheet	2026-09-01
Frying oil C	Not checked	─	Inquiry in progress	─

With this format, you can show the situation by recombining ingredients when a menu changes. It also lets “not checked” rows reach customers as exactly that: not checked.

This table can also serve as preparation for certification application documents. Making it before deciding whether to obtain certification is useful either way.

Do not label “not checked” as “catered for”

It is normal for some of the four areas to remain unconfirmed. The problem is labeling them as already catered for.

The response to avoid most is a vague claim to cater to halal needs. For someone who trusts it and eats, the consequences can go beyond the information simply being unhelpful.

This is why our restaurant information marks points without confirmed evidence as “Not checked.” For certified restaurants, we show the certification body, coverage, and expiry date, alongside individual information on pork, alcoholic drinks, cooking sake and mirin, and utensils. This site does not determine whether a restaurant’s food is halal. It records who guarantees what, as stated.

For why we do not use “Muslim-friendly,” a term used by restaurants and certification bodies, as a site category, see What Does “Muslim-Friendly” Mean? How It Differs from Halal Certification, and Standards That Vary by Who Uses the Label.

Other useful preparations

Be ready to explain the ingredients of major menu items in English. For visitors to Japan, even whether pork and alcohol are present is helpful.

Major chains already add English and pictograms. For examples, including free materials provided by local governments, see How Much Can Chain Restaurants’ Published Information Tell You About Pork and Alcohol?

Another preparation is information on a prayer space. Materials from the Japan Tourism Agency (office of the counselor in charge of receiving foreign visitors), dated February 27, 2025, state that “even facilities unable to provide a permanent prayer room should offer a prayer space within their capabilities and provide appropriate guidance.” The materials introduce the agency’s “Hospitality Guide for Vegetarian, Vegan, and Muslim Travelers” (April 2024). The point appears to be that making guidance available matters even without a dedicated room.

If you decide to seek certification, ask the body these questions

Seeking certification can be a reasonable decision if you plan to export or want to appeal clearly to customers from a particular country. Here are the key questions for the body.

Most important is which overseas bodies it has mutual recognition with. Certification without recognition by the relevant body in the target country will not be accepted there. Check the relationship with JAKIM for Malaysia and BPJPH for Indonesia.

Next, ask about validity and periodic audit frequency. These determine total costs beyond the initial fee. A one-year or four-year validity period and annual or two-yearly audits can change the three-year total severalfold.

Ask whether audit fees include travel and accommodation. They often do not. Give the restaurant’s location and request a total including actual expenses.

Finally, ask about annual membership fees and whether membership is necessary for certification. A membership-based body charges annual fees each year. Check whether certification and membership are linked.

Sending the same four questions to several bodies produces comparable quotes. Fee structures differ, so asking only for a total does not give a fair comparison.

Common misunderstandings

That Japan has an official system called “Japanese halal certification.” It does not. Independent private organizations issue certification. If you see a claim of government-approved certification, check its basis.

That certification is accepted worldwide. As MAFF’s guide says, no halal certification is accepted in every country. Acceptance extends only within the scope of mutual recognition.

That restaurant certification costs several hundred thousand yen. Figures that may refer to food manufacturers can be mistaken for restaurant market rates. In a published example, restaurant inspection costs around 40,000 yen. But application fees, travel, and renewal are extra. The inspection fee alone does not determine the total cost.

That without certification you cannot say you cater to halal needs. We have not identified Japanese legislation specifically governing halal representations. However, general rules on representations apply. Claiming to meet needs you do not meet could raise issues under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. Disclosing “We are not certified, but here are the facts on these four points” provides more practical information.

Final thoughts

For costs, look at the structure rather than the fee alone. Annual membership, application fees, audit fees, and travel and accommodation overlap and recur at renewal.

Whether to obtain certification depends on whom you want to serve.

For serving customers in Japan, certification is not required; accurate disclosure on the four areas comes first. For exporting to Indonesia or Malaysia, certification is more likely to be necessary and checking mutual recognition is the priority. Regulations are changing, so be sure to check JETRO’s latest information. To appeal to customers from a particular country, choose certification with mutual recognition by that country’s body.

Whichever path you choose, you will need an ingredient-based checking table. It prepares the ground for application documents if you seek certification, or supports disclosure if you do not. Starting here avoids wasted work either way.

For our investigation into whether Tokyo Metropolitan Government subsidies can be used for halal measures, see Can Tokyo Metropolitan Government Subsidies Be Used for Halal Measures? In Fiscal 2026, Prayer Rooms Are Covered, but Halal Certification Is Not Listed.

This article organizes published primary information. Consult a specialist as needed about interpreting legislation or the acceptability of particular representations. Certification fees and national regulations change, so check the latest information from the bodies and national authorities before deciding.

Quotes from Japanese sources in this article are our own translations.

Sources

Fees and systems may change. Please check the latest published information before you decide.

Government and public bodies

MAFF Export and International Affairs Bureau (Overseas Regulatory Affairs Division), “Basic Information on Halal” (ハラールに関する基礎情報) (in Japanese), April 2026 (nature of halal rules; six main halal-related organizations in Japan) https://www.maff.go.jp/j/yusyutu_kokusai/kokuchi/halal.kosher/attach/pdf/index-13.pdf
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, “Japanese Halal Certification Bodies for Overseas Exports (as of July 27, 2026)” (海外輸出向け日本のハラール認証団体（2026年7月27日時点）) (in Japanese) (mutual recognition status by body) https://www.maff.go.jp/j/yusyutu_kokusai/kokuchi/halal.kosher/attach/pdf/index-15.pdf
MAFF Food Industry Affairs Bureau, “Guide for Exporting Halal Food” (ハラール食品輸出に向けた『手引き』) (in Japanese), February 2015 (commissioned to Accenture, fiscal 2014 Export Strategy Implementation Project) https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/export/e_kikaku/pdf/halal_tebiki.pdf
Japan Tourism Agency (office of the counselor in charge of receiving foreign visitors), “Introduction to National Initiatives” (国の取組内容の紹介) (in Japanese), February 27, 2025 (includes an introduction to the agency’s “Hospitality Guide for Vegetarian, Vegan, and Muslim Travelers,” April 2024)
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Indonesia’s BPJPH Postpones Mandatory Halal Certification for Imported Food Products” (インドネシアBPJPH、輸入食料品に対するハラール認証取得の義務化を延期) (in Japanese), October 25, 2024 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2024/10/73db3fa2cf2c0711.html
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Current Status of Mandatory Halal Certification Labeling in Indonesia” (インドネシアでのハラール認証表示義務化の現状) (in Japanese), February 12, 2025 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biz/areareports/2025/627ac4d8be401ad5.html
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Draft Implementing Rules on Non-Halal Products in Indonesia Revealed” (インドネシアのノンハラール製品に関する施行規則案が明らかに) (in Japanese), March 10, 2026 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2026/03/4700ee410577ca00.html
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Halal Certification Product Coverage Organized by HS Code” (ハラール認証対象品目をHSコードで整理) (in Japanese), May 19, 2026 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2026/05/023e08fa6b48ccce.html
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Regulation on Administrative Sanctions for Halal Certification Labeling Promulgated” (ハラール認証表示に関する行政処分を定めた規則を公布) (in Japanese), June 30, 2026 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2026/06/7dbb868898465546.html
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), “Visitors to Japan from Six Major ASEAN Countries Up 11.5% Year on Year in 2025” (2025年のASEAN主要6カ国の訪日外客数は前年比11.5％増) (in Japanese), January 2026 https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2026/01/d74928c1047b31ab.html

Information published by certification bodies (sources for fees)

Japan Halal Certification Promotion Organization (JHCPO), “Certification Fees” (認証費用) (in Japanese) https://jhcpo.com/certification-fee/
Nihon Halal Foundation, “Costs of Certification” (認証の費用) (in Japanese) https://nipponhalal.org/certification_cost.html

Statistics

Tainichi Musurimu Chosa Project (research project on Muslims in Japan) / Hirofumi Tanada, “Muslim Population in Japan, 2025” (日本のムスリム人口 2025年) (in Japanese) (estimate based on Ministry of Justice and Immigration Services Agency of Japan resident foreign national statistics as of the end of December 2024 and overstayer figures as of January 1, 2025) https://www.imemgs.com/masjid/833/

Product categories

Hinode Mirin (King Brewing), “How Does Hon Mirin Differ from Other Types of Mirin?” (本みりんとそのほかのみりんってどう違うの？) (in Japanese) (alcohol content and Liquor Tax Act classification of hon mirin, mirin-type seasoning, and mirin-style seasoning) https://hinode-mirin.co.jp/column/mirin-column/2022/9063/

Secondary sources (cited in the article and identified as such)

Halal Lab, “How to Get Halal Certification: Requirements, Standards, and the Review Process” (ハラル認証の取得方法｜条件・基準・審査の流れ) (in Japanese) (validity periods and periodic audit frequency) https://halallab.jp/certification/halal-certification-howto/