A Philippine importer who wants to sell Japanese noodles, snacks or sauces usually finds the products easily enough. What slows the first shipment down is the paperwork on the Philippine side: the company needs its own licence from the Food and Drug Administration, each product needs its own registration in the importer’s name, and the label a Japanese shop shelf accepts does not meet Philippine rules as it stands.
This guide sets out, in order, what the importer needs, what each step needs from the supplier in Japan, and where the rules are under revision. Sunsho Trade buys the food in Japan and exports it; the importer of record in the Philippines is your company.
💬 Planning a first order of Japanese food for the Philippines? Sunsho Trade buys everyday Japanese food in Japan and exports it, with the product information your FDA filing depends on. Send us your product list.
Who regulates imported processed food in the Philippines
Processed and prepackaged food, imported or local, is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Department of Health, mainly through Administrative Order 2014-0029 for licensing and registration and Administrative Order 2014-0030 for labelling.
A Department of Agriculture circular records that Section 15b of the Food Safety Act (Republic Act 10611) makes the Department of Health the responsible authority for the safety of processed and prepackaged foods, locally produced or imported. Inside the FDA, food is handled by the Center for Food Regulation and Research.
The FDA’s own FAQ page still names Administrative Order 2014-0029 as the rule on licensing food establishments and registering processed food, and Administrative Order 2014-0030 as the labelling rule. The FDA has also published draft orders for comment that would repeal and replace Administrative Order 2014-0029. We did not find a final replacement in force when we checked, but this is the first thing to confirm with the FDA or your regulatory consultant before you rely on any detail below.
Step 1. The importer’s License to Operate
Before it can import, sell or distribute food, the Philippine company needs an FDA License to Operate (LTO), and it must hold that licence before it can apply for any product registration.
The FDA defines the LTO as an authorisation to an establishment “to undertake a trade or carry out a business activity, such as manufacturing, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, or transfer of food products”. Importers fall under the distributor category, which the FDA describes as establishments that import or export raw materials, ingredients or finished products for their own use or for wholesale distribution. An importer that sells to the general public is treated as a retailer.
According to the FDA’s FAQ, an initial LTO is filed through the FDA’s online portal with the application form (including the location plan and the qualified person), proof of business name registration with the DTI or SEC, a business permit where needed, and proof of capital such as the latest audited financial statement. Medium and large distributors also keep a Risk Management Plan for inspection.
The FAQ states that an initial LTO is valid for two years and a renewal for five years. The licence belongs to the Philippine company. A Japanese exporter cannot hold it, and neither can Sunsho Trade.
Step 2. A Certificate of Product Registration for every product
Every processed food product needs a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) before it is sold or distributed, and each importer must register the products it imports in its own name, even if another importer already holds a CPR for the same product.
The FDA’s FAQ says that all processed food and food products “manufactured and/or distributed (i.e. imported, exported and/or wholesale for local distribution)” must secure a CPR before they are sold, offered for sale, distributed or promoted. On imports specifically, it answers the question every new importer asks: “Each importer should secure his/her own CPR for the products that he/she will import.” It adds that the importer’s name and address appear on the CPR, and that the CPR is needed during importation and release of goods from the Bureau of Customs.
So the CPR is needed before the goods land, not after.
Applications go through the FDA’s e-portal and pass a pre-assessment first. An incomplete file closes the case number and everything has to be uploaded again, so have the supplier’s information complete at the start. The FAQ lists the core inputs as a compliant label or artwork for every pack size, pictures of the product in commercial presentation from at least two angles, and documents to substantiate any claim or logo on the pack. It gives a processing time of 20 working days for e-registration applications and validity of two to five years, with the fee computed by the system. Treat these as the FDA’s published figures, not a promise for your file.
One more point from the same FAQ matters for Japanese branded food. The FDA says a brand name registered under a different company will not be approved for you “unless you have authorization from the brand name owner”. How this applies to a second importer of the same Japanese product is a question to put to the FDA before you fix your product list, because a trading company cannot always obtain a letter from a Japanese manufacturer.
| What the importer files | Held by | What it needs from the supplier side |
|---|---|---|
| License to Operate (distributor / importer) | The Philippine company | Nothing product-specific |
| CPR, one per product | The Philippine importer, in its own name | Full ingredient list, label or artwork for each pack size, product photos, support for any claim or logo |
| Label amendment after registration | The CPR holder | The revised label and a letter describing the change |
| Customs release | The importer and its broker | The CPR, plus the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading |
💬 Need the ingredient lists, pack photos and dates for each product before you file a CPR? Tell us which products you want registered.
Labels: English, dates and ingredients
A Japanese-language pack cannot go on sale as it is, because the FDA requires the mandatory label information of an imported product to appear in English and requires an expiry, use-by or consume-before date in a set format.
The FDA’s FAQ on labelling says: “labels of imported products shall declare the corresponding English translation of mandatory label information.” The same answer allows a provisionary sticker for a maximum of six months only, and adds that labels of products on the market must comply with the labelling regulations. Ask the FDA or your consultant whether a sticker is acceptable for your product and for how long before you plan the whole range around one.
The date is where Japanese food most often needs work. Most Japanese processed food carries a best-before date (shōmi kigen). The FDA’s FAQ answers the question “Can we use ‘Best Before’ to declare the expiration of our products?” with “No”: the label must declare an expiry or expiration date, use-by date or consume-before date, in day/month/year format with the month spelled out, as set out in Administrative Order 2014-0030. Your English label therefore has to state the date in that form, and the date has to be right for every lot. This is why we record the date of each lot before packing and send it with the shipment documents.
The FAQ also sets how colours are named in the ingredient list (“Food Color(s)” for plant-derived colours, “Artificial Color(s)” for synthetic ones), so a Japanese ingredient list needs a careful line-by-line translation.
Meat, seafood and other animal-derived ingredients
Processed food that contains meat is regulated by the FDA, while import clearance for meat itself stays with the Bureau of Animal Industry, so a product with a meat ingredient should be checked with both before you order.
A Department of Agriculture circular from 2017 records that Joint Administrative Circular No. 2 of 29 June 2016 makes the FDA the regulatory authority over the manufacture, import, sale and distribution of processed meat. The same circular states that the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) “for all imported meats remains within the jurisdiction of the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)”.
For Japanese food, the products to flag early are instant noodles with pork or chicken extract in the soup, curry and stew blocks with beef or pork fat, and snacks or seasonings made with seafood or dairy. We could not confirm from a primary source exactly where the line falls for a shelf-stable product that contains a small amount of meat extract. Confirm with the FDA, the BAI and your customs broker whether a clearance is needed for each such product. Our separate guide on Japanese instant noodles explains how to read the soup ingredients before you ask.
Proof of origin from Japan: three agreements
Japanese goods entering the Philippines can claim a preferential rate under the Japan–Philippines EPA, the ASEAN–Japan agreement (AJCEP) or RCEP, and the certificate for these is issued in Japan by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, not by a local chamber.
According to the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Japan–Philippines EPA has been in force since 11 December 2008. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the ASEAN–Japan agreement as in force with the Philippines from 1 July 2010. Japan Customs lists the Philippines among the countries for which RCEP is in force.
| Agreement | In force with the Philippines | Issued in Japan by |
|---|---|---|
| Japan–Philippines EPA | 11 December 2008 | JCCI, as the issuing body designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry |
| ASEAN–Japan (AJCEP) | 1 July 2010 | JCCI |
| RCEP | In force (Japan Customs list) | JCCI; RCEP also has approved-exporter and self-declaration routes |
JCCI states that the certificates of origin issued by local chambers of commerce prove origin under Japanese customs rules and “are not documents for applying EPA tariff rates”. If you want a preferential rate, ask for the EPA certificate by name. Which agreement gives the better rate depends on each product’s tariff line, so agree it with your broker before the quotation. The wider sequence of export documents from Japan is set out in export documents and flow from Japan.
What we supply from Japan, and what stays with you
Sunsho Trade supplies the product information, dates and export documents that your licence holder needs, while the LTO, every CPR, the English label and the customs entry in the Philippines stay with your company.
| Your step in the Philippines | Information it depends on | What we provide from Japan |
|---|---|---|
| CPR filing | Ingredient list, pack sizes, photos of the commercial pack | Ingredient lists and specifications as the manufacturer publishes them, and photos of each pack |
| English label or sticker | Mandatory label information, allergens, additives | The Japanese label text for translation by your team or consultant |
| Expiry date on the label | The date of each lot | Lot dates recorded before packing, against the minimum shelf life we agree with you |
| Meat or seafood check | Which ingredients are animal-derived | The relevant lines highlighted from the ingredient list |
| Customs release and duty | Commercial invoice, packing list, origin | Export customs in Japan, shipping documents and the EPA certificate of origin where one applies |
We do not act as the importer in the Philippines, file FDA applications on your behalf or promise that a product will be registered. If you also handle food supplements, the rules differ again: see our guide to Japan-made supplements in the Philippines. For a mixed range of snacks, the Japanese snacks wholesale guide covers ranging and heat-sensitive lines.
💬 Ready to plan a mixed shipment of Japanese food for the Philippines? Send the products, quantities and the shelf life you need on arrival. Request a quotation.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can Sunsho Trade register our products with FDA Philippines for us?
No. The FDA issues both the License to Operate and the Certificate of Product Registration to a Philippine establishment, and the importer’s name appears on the CPR. We supply the ingredient lists, pack photos, dates and export documents your team or consultant needs to file.
2. Another company already imports the same Japanese product. Can we use its CPR?
Not as it stands. The FDA’s FAQ says each importer should secure its own CPR for the products it imports. Taking over an existing CPR is filed as a change-of-importer amendment, and the old importer’s CPR is surrendered. Ask the FDA how the brand-name authorisation rule applies to your case.
3. Is the Japanese best-before date acceptable on the Philippine label?
The FDA’s FAQ says “Best Before” cannot be used to declare expiry. The label must show an expiry, use-by or consume-before date in day/month/year format with the month spelled out. Plan your English label or sticker with that wording.
4. Do instant noodles with pork extract need anything extra?
They may. Processed meat is regulated by the FDA, while import clearance for meat stays with the Bureau of Animal Industry. We could not confirm the exact line for a small amount of meat extract, so check each such product with the FDA, the BAI and your broker before ordering.
5. Which certificate of origin should we ask for?
Ask for the EPA certificate under the agreement your broker chooses: the Japan–Philippines EPA, AJCEP or RCEP. In Japan these are issued by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A local chamber’s ordinary certificate of origin does not support an EPA rate.
Checked on 24 October 2026. Sources: Food and Drug Administration Philippines, FAQs (licensing of food establishments, registration of prepackaged processed food, labelling of prepackaged food products), fda.gov.ph/faqs; FDA Philippines, draft for comments on new rules repealing Administrative Order 2014-0029, fda.gov.ph; Department of Agriculture, Administrative Circular No. 01, Series of 2017 (recitals on Republic Act 10611 Section 15b and Joint Administrative Circular No. 2 of 2016), da.gov.ph; Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, EPA certificate of origin issuing service, tokuteishomei.jp; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, mofa.go.jp; Japan Customs, status of RCEP entry into force, customs.go.jp.