Food Sanitation Managers

A Food Sanitation Manager must be appointed if you are engaging in food product business (unless it is in a business with little impact on public health). This page explains the role and qualifications of Food Sanitation Managers, as well as how to obtain such qualifications.

The Role of Food Sanitation Managers

1.Appointment and Duties of Food Sanitation Managers

When operating a food-related business, the appointment and obligation of a Food Sanitation Manager is stipulated as follows. The following information is excerpted and modified from the “Japanese Law Translation Database System” (Ministry of Justice).

• A person who conducts business prescribed in Article 51, paragraph (1) of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 68, paragraph (3) of the Act; hereinafter referred to as the "business person" in this Table) is to appoint a food sanitation manager; provided, however, that this does not apply to a business person specified in each item of Article 66-2, paragraph (4). The food sanitation supervisor specified in Article 48 of the Act may also serve as the food sanitation manager.
• A food sanitation manager is to observe the following matters.
  1.To take training sessions provided by prefectural governors, etc., or training sessions approved by prefectural governors, etc., on a regular basis, and endeavor to acquire new knowledge on food sanitation (limited to businesses set forth in Article 54 of the Act (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 68, paragraph (3) of the Act)).
  2.To manage sanitation by following the instructions of the business person.
• A business person is to respect the opinions of the food sanitation manager.
• A food sanitation manager is to exercise necessary care as well as endeavor to state any necessary opinions to the business person, in order to comply with the measures provided for in Article 66-2, paragraph (3).
• A business person who processes pufferfish must have a person who is certified by a prefectural governor, etc. to have the knowledge of distinguishing the type of pufferfish and skills for removing toxic parts, etc., process the pufferfish, or have another person process the pufferfish in the presence of that person.

In Tokyo, only those who posses the Tokyo Fugu Handling Supervisor License and handle fugu in facilities with certification as a fugu handling location may handle fugu as part of business activities in accordance with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Regulations on Handling of Pufferfish.

Handling of Fugu

2. Attend Food Sanitation Implementation Course

To appropriately engage in sanitation management, Food Sanitation Managers must always stay up to date on the latest information in food sanitation. Tokyo holds Food Sanitation Implementation Courses aimed at Food Sanitation Managers. For information regarding attendance, please contact your nearest health center. [Inquiries] Health Centers with Jurisdiction over Your Business Office(Tama area).

Food Sanitation Manager Qualifications and How to Obtain Them

1. In order to become a Food Sanitation Manager

To become a Food Sanitation Manager, you must take a training course (around 6 hours in total).

Course Subjects	Main Contents	Hours
Food Hygienics	〇Main kinds of food poisonings, health hazards, food accidents and their causes (micro-organisms, natural poisons, chemical substances, contaminants, foreign substances, etc.) Basic measures for preventing the occurrence of food poisoning 〇Sanitation management for facilities and equipment (including 5S (Order, Tidying, Cleaning, Neatness, Habits)). Sanitation management for facilities and equipment (including 5S (Order, Tidying, Cleaning, Neatness, Habits)). Basic food product handling (including 3 principles for preventing food poisoning) Sanitation management for those handling food products (including prevention measures for infectious diseases) etc.	2.5 hours
Food Sanitation Act	〇Overview of Food Sanitation Act 〇Information regarding autonomous sanitation management Responsibilities of a business person (creation of sanitation management plans and manuals, common knowledge for food product handlers, records for sanitation management implementation conditions, storage, and verification of sanitation management) Standard sanitation management and sanitation management standards in line with HACCP How to use manuals by small businesses, etc. 〇Information regarding the voluntary recall reporting system 〇Information regarding business regulations (permissions, notifications, facility standards) 〇Other information regarding laws and regulations related to food sanitation etc.	3 hours
Public Health	〇Environmental sanitation 〇Labor sanitation etc.	0.5 hours
Confirmation Test	〇A test that confirms your comprehension level of the course as well as how much the knowledge stayed with you
		Around 6 hours in total

The general incorporated association Tokyo Food Sanitation Association holds Food Sanitation Manager training courses in Tokyo. For information on course dates and how to attend, please check the website for the general incorporated association Tokyo Food Sanitation Association.
※In accordance with national standardization, course completion certificates are valid nationwide since April 1 1997.

2.Exemption from Course Attendance

Those who have the following qualifications do not have to take the course to become Food Sanitation Managers. The following information is excerpted and modified from the “Japanese Law Translation Database System” (Ministry of Justice).

• Licensed cook
• Confectionery Hygienist
• Nutritionist
• Ship Cook
• Sanitation manager as stipulated in the Slaughterhouse Act
• Work Sanitation Manager as stipulated in the Slaughterhouse Act
• Poultry Slaughtering Sanitation Manager
• A person who satisfies the qualification requirements for Food Sanitation Inspector or Food Sanitation Supervisor