October Is Food Loss Reduction Month; October 30 Is Food Loss Reduction Day
Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and the Ministry of the Environment will intensively publicize a range of initiatives during October’s Food Loss Reduction Month. The 14th Food Industry Mottainai Awards ceremony will be held at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on October 29, and the National Food Loss Reduction Conference will take place in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, on October 30. Other initiatives include producing awareness posters, encouraging consumers to choose items at the front of store shelves, revising web pages, and announcing businesses that are reviewing commercial practices. The National Network Council for Promoting Delicious Food Consumption will also run a nationwide joint campaign for households.
Key points
- Winners of the 14th Food Industry Mottainai Awards have been selected, and an award ceremony will be held.
- A monthly poster calling on people to follow five rules for reducing food loss has been produced.
- Retailers and others are promoting the practice of choosing products near the front of shelves, using awareness materials.
- Food businesses working to relax delivery deadlines, simplify best-before date labeling, and extend best-before periods will be announced.
Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and the Ministry of the Environment will intensively publicize initiatives that help reduce food loss during October’s Food Loss Reduction Month. October 30 is designated Food Loss Reduction Day.
Working with the three ministries, the National Network Council for Promoting Delicious Food Consumption will run a nationwide joint campaign in October 2026 to encourage households to enjoy and finish their food. The council comprises 456 municipalities nationwide.
Details
The 2026 National Food Loss Reduction Conference will be held on October 30 in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture. It is hosted by the city and the National Network Council for Promoting Delicious Food Consumption, and co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Consumer Affairs Agency, and the Ministry of the Environment. The 14th Food Industry Mottainai Awards are hosted by the Organization for Food Supply Sustainability and Promotion, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a sponsor. The winners have been announced on the ministry’s website, and interview videos have also been released. The award ceremony will be held on October 29 at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda City.
The awareness poster promotes Food Loss Reduction Month and Food Loss Reduction Day. It features food loss reduction ambassador Hiroyuki Baba of Robert, calling on people to follow five rules for reducing food loss. Permission must be requested through the Consumer Affairs Agency website to use the PDF. The five rules are to check ingredients before shopping, buy only what is needed, understand date labels, make use of freezing techniques, and become “savvy savers” when it comes to food.
“Temaedori” is the practice of actively choosing products near the front of a shelf, where their sales deadlines are approaching, when they will be eaten soon. Each fiscal year, the three ministries work with the Japan Franchise Association to promote the practice at convenience stores. Since the previous fiscal year, they have also expanded outreach with associations related to retailers and drugstores. The awareness materials now include designs that appeal to parents and children, and can be downloaded from the Consumer Affairs Agency website.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries plans to revise its food loss and recycling web pages during October, updating their design and organization to make information easier to access. It will also designate October 30 as National Day for Reviewing Commercial Practices and announce food businesses that are jointly working to relax delivery deadlines, simplify best-before date labeling, and extend best-before periods.