United States and Japan Agree on Organic Equivalency
26 September 2013 
The United States and Japan announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2014, organic products certified in Japan or in the United States may be sold as organic in either country.
According to USDA, this partnership between two significant organic markets will streamline access to the growing Japanese organic market, benefiting the rapidly growing organic industry and supporting job creation and business growth on a global scale.
“This partnership reflects the strength of the USDA organic standards, allowing American organic farmers, ranchers and businesses to access Asia’s largest organic market,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack. “It is a win for the American economy and sets the foundation for additional organic agricultural trade agreements in Asia. This partnership provides economic opportunities for farmers and small businesses, resulting in good jobs for Americans across the organic supply chain.”
The organics sector in the United States and Japan is valued at more than $36 billion combined, and rising every year.
This agreement only covers products exported from and certified in the United States or Japan. For additional details on this agreement, please visit: http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOPTradeJapan.
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