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Public-sector officials in food hygiene management from Guangdong Province study at locations in Japan (May 20 to June 1, 2013)

Five public-sector and other officials involved in food hygiene management from Guangdong Province visited Japan for two weeks from May 20. They studied food hygiene management in Japan, mainly at institutions and companies in Hyogo Prefecture, which has a friendship agreement with their province. The seminar was part of a project for “Promoting Food Safety and Security and Dietary Education in Guangdong Province, China,” a JICA grass-roots cooperation program (based on regional proposals), and has been carried out from last fiscal year as a three-year plan.

While visiting the Itami City School Meals Center, where the participants learned about hygiene measures and dietary education, they are given a real school meal.

While visiting the Itami City School Meals Center, where the participants learned about hygiene measures and dietary education, they are given a real school meal.

In Guandong Province, the government assumes responsibility when accidents involving food safety occur, and so there is a huge amount of pressure on government agencies connected with food-product hygiene. Even though government supervision and control is a fundamental concept in Japan, the participants were deeply struck by how companies here are basically tasked with the responsibility over food safety.

They also displayed a great amount of interest in the important role played by Japan’s food-industry associations. The associations thoroughly inform the companies on government policies and regulations, make efforts for the training and guidance of company employees and help improve the level of companies’ self-management. They also work on the development of mutual projects. The participants, together with the day-to-day development of projects, learned about how the associations help out companies with their problems. Thus, the participants would like the food-product industry associations in Guangdong Province to assume similar roles, and expressed the desire to work on the promotion of their own industry associations.

Under this project, we consider two model companies in Guangdong Province. Then the specialists from Japan will give guidance on hygiene at factories and contribute to food safety and security in Guangdong by creating training grounds for public-sector officials involved in food product hygiene management, food product companies and citizens.

Akiko Sakai, International Department

Seminar summary

Name JICA Grass-roots Cooperation Program (based on regional proposals)
Period May 20 (Mon.) to June 1 (Sat.), 2013
Participants 5
Seminar content Public-sector officials and others in charge of food-product hygiene management in Guangdong
Province learned about efforts in Japan in their field.
Commissioned by JICA Kansai