Around the world, countries are building the frameworks for cultivated food which is needed to move to the next phase — establishing a track record of commercial production — through rule-making that keeps pace with technological innovation and through industry-academia collaboration. Some cultivated foods have already been approved for sale or have undergone safety assessments in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, Singapore, and Israel. South Korea, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Thailand are clarifying regulatory jurisdiction and procedures and conducting pre-market reviews; Switzerland and Indonesia are working to attract companies to their markets; and China is advancing demonstration research toward mass production.

In Japan as well, the early development of high-quality guidelines is called for — so that innovation can be encouraged while maintaining rigorous safety standards, and so that public trust can be fostered through clear guidance and transparent communication. Moreover, with a view to the growth of Japan’s technology industries, it is essential to engage proactively in rule-making on emerging technological trends, in order to translate the benefits of these technologies into national interest while avoiding undesirable social consequences.

Through these events, JACA aims to share the latest domestic and international developments in the cultivated food sector and to exchange views with a broad range of stakeholders on key issues relating to food safety, intellectual property, and industrial collaboration — and, on that basis, to explore how rules for these technologies should be shaped. In addition, in collaboration with the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the day of dialogue will hold sessions exploring the potential for collaboration with the precision fermentation field and with Hokkaido’s agriculture and food industries, providing a forum for dialogue with practitioners and researchers in the region.