Japan-made supplement OEM

Your own-brand supplement, made in Japan

For brands outside Japan that want “Made in Japan” on the pack. We check your formula against Japanese food law, arrange production at a GMP-certified partner factory in Japan, and prepare the documents your market asks for — in English.

Send us your concept Ingredients and evidence Recommended designs Capsules, additives and packaging

The first thing to know: Japan decides “food or medicine” by ingredient

Before dosage form, before price, the formula has to pass Japan’s food–medicine boundary — and that boundary is drawn by ingredient.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes a list of substances treated exclusively as medicines. It is attached to the Ministry’s notice of 31 March 2020 (薬生監麻発0331第9号), which builds on the principles of Notice No. 476 of 1 June 1971. A product that contains one of those substances is treated as a medicine, whatever its label says — so a Japanese food factory cannot make it as a supplement, even for export.

This is the point where many overseas brands first get a short refusal from a Japanese factory: a formula that sells as a supplement at home contains an ingredient, or a part of a plant, that Japan classifies as medicinal. We run that check on your formula first, and suggest a compliant alternative where one exists.

Why it matters for your export documents too

Japan issues a Certificate of Free Sale only for foods made in Japan that are, or could be, sold in Japan — so a formula that fails Japanese food law cannot get one.

Many importing countries ask for a Certificate of Free Sale when a supplement is registered. Since 1 April 2020, certificates for food exported from Japan have been issued by the regional agricultural administration offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, a role that previously sat with the Regional Bureaus of Health and Welfare. The certificate covers foods manufactured in Japan that are or could be sold in Japan, and Japan’s issuance guideline states that it does not certify the safety of an individual export shipment. See our Certificate of Free Sale guide.

Document	What it shows	Who issues it
Certificate of analysis (CoA)	Test results for the production batch against its specification	The factory (or a testing laboratory)
Product specification	Ingredients, amounts, dosage form, shelf life and storage	The factory
Certificate of Free Sale	Made in Japan and freely saleable in Japan as a food	Regional agricultural administration office (MAFF)
Certificate of origin	Country of origin, for customs and any preferential tariff	The competent issuing body in Japan

Checked against the published texts of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on 25 September 2026.

Manufacturing quality in Japan

Japanese supplement makers work to good manufacturing practice, and for Foods with Function Claims in tablet and capsule form GMP has been a legal requirement since 1 September 2026.

Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency made GMP-based manufacturing control a requirement for Foods with Function Claims in supplement form — tablets, capsules and similar products made with natural extracts — with the rule fully in force from 1 September 2026. Your product does not need to be a Japanese Food with Function Claims to be exported, but the requirement shows the standard Japanese supplement production now works to. Our production takes place at a GMP-certified partner factory in Japan.

From concept to shipment

Six steps, each agreed in writing before the next starts.

01 Concept and target market What the product is for, who will buy it, and which countries it will be sold in. The destination market decides the documents and the label.
02 Formula check against Japanese food law Every ingredient is checked against Japan’s list of substances treated as medicines. A formula that fails this check cannot be made as a food in Japan at all.
03 Dosage form and specification Tablet, hard or soft capsule, powder, granule, jelly or drink — chosen with the factory for the ingredients, the dose and your market.
04 Samples and quotation A sample against the agreed specification, and a quotation for that exact specification.
05 Production and quality documents Production at a GMP-certified partner factory in Japan, with a certificate of analysis for the batch and the specification documents.
06 Export documents and shipment Commercial documents, certificate of origin, and — where your market asks for it — a Certificate of Free Sale, issued in Japan by the regional offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Popular Japanese supplement ingredients at a glance

122 ingredients by theme — what each has been studied for, how strong the published evidence is, and the usual dosage form. The evidence column is a short summary of each guide, where the studies and their limits are set out with sources.

BeautyBeauty supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Astaxanthin	Skin moisture; eye comfort after screen work	Mixed for skin moisture, no effect on wrinkles; eye trials often tested combinations	Soft capsule (oil-soluble, light-sensitive)
Ceramide	Skin hydration and barrier function	Small trials, often industry-linked, show a real but modest hydration effect	Capsule, tablet, drink
Collagen peptide	Skin hydration and elasticity	Several meta-analyses positive; a 2025 analysis found the effect only in industry-funded trials	Powder, drink, jelly (gram-level dose)
Elastin peptide	Skin elasticity and hydration	Small trials; a 12-week placebo-controlled study and supporting cell research	Tablet, capsule
Evening primrose oil	Skin barrier and comfort measures	A 2013 Cochrane review of 27 trials found no benefit; individual trial results are mixed	Soft capsule
Glutathione	Skin brightness (purified form restricted as a food ingredient in Japan)	Not applicable to purified glutathione as a declared food ingredient in Japan	Purified form not permitted in foods in Japan; yeast-based route only
Hyaluronic acid	Skin moisture and elasticity	A 2025 meta-analysis of 7 small trials positive; larger trials needed; often industry-funded	Capsule, tablet, drink
L-cystine	Hair density and skin/hair keratin support	Small trials of L-cystine combined with other nutrients; not tested alone	Tablet, capsule
Lycopene	Skin response to UV exposure	Small trials positive; short, and results include molecular markers as well as visible skin measures	Soft capsule (oil-soluble)
Pine bark extract	Skin pigmentation and photoaging signs	Small trials, one open-label and industry-funded; positive but not independently replicated at scale	Tablet, capsule
Placenta extract	Skin water loss, elasticity and pigmentation	Thin: two small 4-week skin trials, both funded by the extract makers	Tablet, capsule, drink
Sea buckthorn oil	Tear film and eye comfort in small randomised trials	Mixed results across two trials in the same population; skin-specific human evidence is limited	Softgel, oil blend
Tranexamic acid	Skin pigmentation (medicine in Japan, not a food ingredient)	Not applicable — not permitted as a food ingredient in Japan	Not permitted in foods in Japan

EyesEyes supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Bilberry	Screen-related eye fatigue and focusing (accommodation)	Small Japanese RCTs positive on eye-fatigue measures; evidence base stays limited, not widely replicated	Hard capsule, tablet
Crocetin	Eye comfort during screen work; sleep quality	Small Japanese crossover trials, positive; not yet confirmed by larger independent studies	Tablet, capsule, soft gel
Lutein and zeaxanthin	Macular pigment optical density in healthy eyes	Meta-analysis: MPOD rises with intake, more at higher doses; visual-function data more limited	Soft capsule
Maqui berry	Eye comfort and tear-film measures during screen work	Small trials, positive, from overlapping research groups; independent confirmation limited	Capsule, tablet

Joints and mobilityJoints and mobility supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Boswellia serrata	Joint comfort, stiffness and function in short trials	Small short trials and a meta-analysis of 7 studies show improvement vs placebo; larger studies needed	Capsule, tablet
Chondroitin sulfate	Joint comfort	Cochrane review: small short-term benefit, uncertain in larger and independent trials	Tablet, capsule, powder stick
Eggshell membrane	Knee joint comfort and stiffness	Small industry-funded trials, mixed results; some subscores improved, main scores often did not	Capsule
Glucosamine	Joint comfort and mobility	Large trials and meta-analyses show weak or mixed results overall	Tablet, capsule, powder stick
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)	Knee joint comfort and physical function	Small trials mixed; one negative at 3 g a day, others positive at other doses	Tablet, powder
Proteoglycan (salmon nasal cartilage)	Everyday knee comfort; skin elasticity and hydration	Two small trials (Japan, China); knee pain scores did not differ from placebo overall	Capsule, tablet, powder, drink
Undenatured type II collagen	Knee joint flexibility and comfort during activity	Several small trials positive for knee comfort; most industry-funded	Capsule, tablet

Energy and sportEnergy and sport supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
BCAA and EAA	Muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise	Human trials find BCAA alone stimulates less muscle protein synthesis than a complete protein source	Powder, drink, tablet
Beetroot nitrate	Exercise performance in recreationally active adults	Modest overall effect across meta-analyses; not consistent in women-only or well-trained groups	Juice concentrate, powder, capsule
Beta-alanine	High-intensity exercise performance	Position stand from a sports-nutrition society: consistent for short high-intensity efforts	Tablet, capsule, powder
Caffeine	Exercise performance and alertness	Position stand from a sports-nutrition society: consistent for most exercise types; EU safety opinion sets intake limits	Tablet, capsule, powder
Citrulline	Exercise performance; muscle soreness after training	Mixed: 2026 meta-analysis found a small effect; earlier reviews split on aerobic performance and soreness	Powder stick, drink, capsule
CoQ10	Exercise-related fatigue and absorption	Mixed: absorption depends on form and age; exercise trials in healthy adults show small, inconsistent effects	Soft (softgel) capsule with an oil carrier
Cordyceps	Exercise tolerance and metabolic thresholds during exercise	Small trials, mixed; improved in a young-adult trial over 3 weeks, unchanged in an older-adult trial	Capsule, tablet, powder
Creatine	High-intensity, short-duration exercise performance	Strong ISSN evidence for high-intensity exercise; mainly monohydrate, EU claim needs 3 g a day	Powder, stick sachet
HMB	Muscle mass and strength during training, ageing or bed rest	Modest, limited results in older adults and bed rest; no added benefit in trained athletes	Capsule, tablet, powder
Imidazole dipeptides	Everyday fatigue from physical exertion and daily activity	Small Japanese RCTs, often industry-linked; hard to find in international databases	Capsule, tablet, drink, powder stick
Maca	Physical performance and exercise-related fatigue markers	Mostly animal data; the one human crossover trial found no benefit over placebo	Powder, capsule, tablet
Ornithine	Fatigue after physical exertion; perceived sleep quality	Two small Japanese RCTs (17 and 52 people); fatigue result versus placebo in women only; evidence limited	Powder, capsule, tablet, drink
Panax ginseng	Everyday tiredness and fatigue	Mixed and mostly small; much of the evidence comes from people with a condition	Hard capsule, tablet, drink
Taurine	Exercise performance in international trials (isolated form is a medicine in Japan)	Modest positive effect internationally; not usable as an isolated ingredient in Japanese-made foods	Not permitted as an isolated ingredient in Japanese foods (treated as a medicine)
Tongkat ali	Testosterone levels and vitality in ageing men	Randomised trials and a meta-analysis report increases in testosterone; most trials industry-linked extracts	Capsule, tablet, powder
Whey and soy protein	Muscle strength and lean mass alongside resistance training	Position stand plus meta-analyses: both support strength gains; effects on lean mass are less consistent	Powder, drink, bar

Relaxation and sleepRelaxation and sleep supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Apocynum Leaf (Apocynum venetum)	Sleep quality and everyday stress	Small human trials; widely used in Japanese function-claim notifications for sleep depth	Tablet, capsule, drink
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)	Stress and sleep (medicine in Japan)	Not applicable — not permitted as a food ingredient in Japan	Not permitted in foods in Japan
GABA	Everyday stress; sleep quality	Independent review: limited for stress, very limited for sleep	Tablet, confectionery, drink
Glycine	Subjective sleep quality and next-day alertness	Small studies, mostly tied to one manufacturer, at around 3 g before bed	Powder stick, granule, drink
L-Theanine	Everyday stress; subjective sleep quality	A 2025 meta-analysis of 19 trials found real but modest subjective sleep benefits	Tablet, capsule, drink, powder stick
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)	Everyday calm and sleep quality	Small trials, often in patient groups; general-population evidence limited	Tablet, capsule, tea, drink
Melatonin	Sleep (medicine in Japan)	Not applicable — not permitted as a food ingredient in Japan	Not permitted in foods in Japan
Saffron	Mood balance and sleep quality	Meta-analyses positive; trial quality rated low to moderate, sizes generally small	Tablet, capsule
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)	Subjective sleep quality	Mixed across trials; a 2020 review found more consistent benefit from whole root material	Tablet, capsule, tea, drink

Brain and focusBrain and focus supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Citicoline (CDP-choline)	Memory (medicine in Japan)	Known in Japan only as a prescription medicine; food use needs its classification confirmed first	Medicine-only history in Japan
Lion's Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)	Memory and cognitive performance	Small positive Japanese trials in older adults; a 2025 acute trial in younger adults found no effect	Capsule, tablet, powder, drink
Phosphatidylserine	Memory recall in older adults	Mixed trial results; Japan has notified soy-derived PS for memory support	Capsule, tablet, powder
Plasmalogen	Verbal memory and mental concentration in small Japanese trials	Small trials in healthy adults mostly positive; a larger mixed trial significant only in a subgroup	Soft capsule, hard capsule

GutGut supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Aojiru (barley grass, kale or ashitaba green juice powder)	Fibre intake; general wellbeing markers	Limited and plant-specific; strongest data are small trials on single plants	Powder stick, drink
Beta-glucan	Gut fermentation and microbiota markers; immune-response markers, depending on source	Differs sharply by source; oat/barley and yeast/mushroom types are not interchangeable	Powder, capsule, tablet, cereal or baked format
Dietary fibre (indigestible dextrin / resistant maltodextrin)	Bowel movement frequency and stool volume	Consistent trial evidence for bowel movements; most trials industry-funded	Powder stick, capsule, drink
Lactic acid bacteria / bifidobacteria	Bowel regularity and gut environment	Depends on the strain; results for one strain do not transfer to another	Capsule, powder stick; heat-treated cells in any form
Prebiotic oligosaccharides (FOS, GOS, inulin)	Bowel regularity and gut bacteria composition	Meta-analyses report modest, consistent effects on stool frequency; results vary by type and dose	Powder stick, drink, capsule, tablet
Psyllium husk	Bowel regularity	Meta-analyses support bowel regularity at higher doses; must be taken with adequate water	Powder, capsule, sachet

Weight and metabolismWeight and metabolism supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora)	Abdominal fat area and energy metabolism markers	Small trials: visceral fat and energy expenditure changes reported; independent replication still limited	Capsule, tablet, powder
Black vinegar (kurozu)	Body weight, BMI and visceral fat markers	One placebo-controlled trial positive; a second, smaller trial mixed and mostly in women	Drink, capsule, tablet
Capsinoids	Resting energy expenditure in healthy adults	Small trials show a measurable effect, concentrated in people with active brown fat	Capsule, softgel
Chitosan	Body weight in randomised trials of adults with overweight	Cochrane review: significant in pooled trials but minimal in higher-quality studies	Capsule, tablet
Forskolin (Coleus forskohlii)	Body composition in overweight and obese adults	Small randomised trials, mixed results; Japan requires a mandatory warning label	Capsule, tablet (Japan requires a specific warning label)
Garcinia cambogia (HCA)	Body weight in short randomised trials	Small, borderline-significant effect on weight; liver injury case reports exist and need review	Capsule, tablet
Green tea catechins	Body weight and body fat	Cochrane review: small, non-significant weight effect; Japanese trials too varied to pool	Tablet, capsule, powder, drink
Kudzu flower	Body weight and visceral fat area in adults with a higher BMI	One 12-week human trial; isolated compounds not yet tested in people	Capsule, tablet, powder
L-carnitine	Body weight and fat mass; energy metabolism during activity	Meta-analyses: modest weight and fat-mass effect that fades over time; no change in waist or body fat %	Tablet, capsule, drink, powder
MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides)	Body weight and body composition versus long-chain fats	Meta-analysis: modest reduction in body weight and waist versus long-chain fat	Oil, powder stick, capsule
Quercetin	Body fat area and weight-management markers	Human results are mixed and depend on the glycoside form used	Tablet, capsule, drink, confectionery
White kidney bean extract	Body weight and body fat in randomised trials of adults with overweight	Mixed across meta-analyses; one found no significant weight effect, a newer one did	Capsule, tablet, powder

Healthy ageingHealthy ageing supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
5-ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid)	Everyday fatigue and mood; exercise-related antioxidant balance	Small trials funded by the ingredient maker; promising but not yet independently confirmed	Tablet, capsule, powder stick
Alpha-lipoic acid	Body weight; antioxidant activity	Small short-term weight-loss effect in one meta-analysis; Japan advises caution over a rare reaction	Tablet, capsule, drink
Black garlic	Oxidative stress markers; blood-flow-related measures	Few small human trials; results for blood-flow-related measures are mixed	Capsule, tablet, powder
Chlorella	Immune-response markers; usual dietary intake	Small trials show immune-marker changes; other benefits are less consistent	Tablet, granule, powder
Cranberry	Urinary comfort in specific population groups	A 2023 Cochrane review of 50 trials found benefit in some groups, little or none in others	Capsule, tablet, extract powder
Curcumin	Joint comfort; memory in older adults; absorption	Enhanced forms raise absorption sharply; function evidence mixed; rare liver reports need a safety note	Softgel, hard capsule, powder stick
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)	Hormone precursor supplement (Japan: food-usable only without medicinal claims)	Not applicable — Japanese status turns entirely on avoiding medicinal framing, not on efficacy data	Food-usable in Japan only if no medicinal or hormone claim is made
Elderberry	Cold duration and severity of everyday upper-respiratory symptoms	Small trials and a meta-analysis positive; independent confirmation and Japan-specific data both limited	Capsule, tablet, syrup, gummy
Equol (S-equol)	Skin appearance and bone-related markers in equol non-producing women	Small Japanese trials, mostly in non-producers; mixed for skin, more consistent for bone and comfort markers	Capsule, tablet, powder stick
Ergothioneine	Bioavailability from mushrooms; skin moisture and texture	Early human evidence; more trials needed	Capsule, tablet, powder
Fucoidan	Grip strength and walking distance in older adults; natural killer cell activity	Small trials, mostly positive on secondary measures; often funded by ingredient suppliers	Capsule, powder stick, drink
Ginkgo biloba	Memory-related function; brain blood flow markers	Large prevention trial found no effect; smaller memory-function trials vary	Hard capsule, tablet
Hesperidin	Peripheral blood flow and body temperature in cold conditions	Small Japanese human trials positive; one larger 2026 trial mixed, industry-funded	Tablet, capsule, drink, confectionery
Krill oil	EPA and DHA bioavailability versus fish oil	Mixed across trials; one found higher bioavailability, another found no significant difference	Soft capsule (oil-soluble)
Lactoferrin	Visceral fat area; everyday respiratory and systemic wellbeing	Small to moderate Japanese trials, mostly positive; often industry-linked and format-specific	Enteric-coated tablet or tablet held in the mouth
Milk thistle (silymarin)	Liver enzyme markers in clinical research populations	Mixed across studies and conditions; a 2012 JAMA trial found no benefit over placebo	Capsule, tablet, extract
Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf	Cardiometabolic markers and body composition in short trials	Very low certainty across pooled trials; nutrient content is the more defensible claim	Powder, capsule, green juice blend
Nattokinase	Blood-flow-related markers; carotid artery wall measures	Mixed; small short trials positive, a 3-year trial in 265 adults null; caution with anticoagulants	Enteric-coated capsule, hard capsule, tablet
Nicotinamide riboside	Blood NAD+ levels; walking distance and cognition in small trials	Raises NAD+ reliably; functional results limited and mixed across trials	Capsule, tablet
NMN	Blood NAD+ levels; walking speed and sleep quality in small trials	Early, small human trials; no confirmed benefit beyond raising NAD+ levels	Capsule, tablet, sublingual powder
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)	EPA and DHA intake; skin (Japan nutrient claim)	Large trials were in patient groups and do not transfer to product claims	Soft capsule, liquid, powder
PQQ	Cognitive performance in older adults; sleep quality	Small trials, one open-label and industry-linked; preliminary for cognition and sleep	Capsule, tablet, drink
Propolis	Inflammation and antioxidant markers; everyday cognitive function	Meta-analyses show effects on inflammation markers, not lipids; allergy risk applies	Capsule, tablet, liquid extract
Pumpkin seed	Urinary comfort scores in men	A large one-year trial found no significant difference from placebo on its primary outcome	Soft capsule, hard capsule, powder
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)	Body composition and metabolic markers; immune cell counts in healthy adults	GRADE-assessed review found very low-quality evidence across outcomes; small trials only	Capsule, tablet, powder, extract
Resveratrol	Cell and vascular health markers studied in ageing research	Human clinical evidence is currently inconclusive across most outcomes studied	Capsule, tablet
Royal jelly	Wellbeing in midlife women; skin moisture	Human trials small and mixed; bee-product allergy warning needed	Fresh (frozen), lyophilised powder, capsule, drink
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)	Urinary comfort scores in men	A 2023 Cochrane review of 27 trials found little to no difference versus placebo	Soft capsule, hard capsule
Sesamin	Antioxidant capacity and everyday fatigue-related wellbeing	Human trials are small; effects vary by outcome and by subgroup	Capsule, tablet, softgel
Soy isoflavones	Comfort in midlife women; bone-related markers	Mixed across meta-analyses; clearer for midlife comfort, modest for bone; Japan sets a supplement intake cap	Tablet, capsule, powder stick
Spermidine	Memory in a 12-month trial; hair growth in a smaller trial	Limited; a 2022 randomised trial found no significant effect on memory in older adults	Capsule, tablet, powder
Spirulina	Lipid and blood-pressure markers in adults with an existing condition	Meta-analyses in adults with a condition show improved markers; general healthy-ageing evidence is limited	Tablet, capsule, powder
Urolithin A	Muscle endurance and strength in small human trials	Muscle endurance improved in small trials; most funded by the ingredient developer	Capsule, tablet

Vitamins and mineralsVitamins and minerals supplements made in Japan →

Ingredient	Studied for	Evidence in short	Usual form
Biotin	Hair, skin and nail quality	Strongest in deficiency states; limited for people who are not deficient	Tablet, capsule, powder, multi-nutrient blend
Calcium	Bones and teeth	Bone outcomes studied mainly with vitamin D; the amount per serving and dose splitting matter	Tablet, capsule, chewable, powder; carbonate or citrate forms
Chromium	Nutrient metabolism	Weak and inconsistent overall; rare harm reported at high doses; no Japanese nutrient claim	Tablet, capsule; chromium picolinate or other chelated forms
Copper	Red blood cell formation; enzyme function and bone formation	Established nutrient function; supplementation research is mostly about avoiding an imbalance with zinc	Tablet, capsule; combined with zinc in mineral formulas
Folic Acid	Red blood cell formation; fetal development in early pregnancy	Strong trial evidence around early pregnancy; high intake can mask a B12 shortfall	Tablet, capsule; folic acid or food folate
Iodine	Thyroid hormone production	Essential but narrow safe range; Japanese diets already high; kelp content varies widely	Tablet, capsule; potassium iodide or seaweed-derived
Iron	Red blood cell formation; everyday fatigue	Modest fatigue benefit in iron-deficient adults; excess intake is the key safety issue	Tablet, capsule; sulfate, gluconate, fumarate or bisglycinate forms
Magnesium	Bones, energy production; sleep quality	Sleep evidence inconsistent and low-certainty; one recent RCT found a modest benefit	Tablet, capsule, powder; citrate, oxide, bisglycinate or other salt forms
Multivitamin	Filling everyday nutrient gaps; cognition in older adults	Large trials show modest or no effects in well-nourished adults; upper limits drive the design	Tablet, capsule, powder stick
Potassium	Normal muscle and nerve function; sodium balance	Studied mainly in patient groups; Japan’s nutrient claim excludes tablets and capsules	Powder, drink mix; NOT eligible for Japan's nutrient-function claim in tablet or capsule form
Selenium	Antioxidant-related nutrient status	Not a Japanese Nutrient Function Claims mineral; large prevention trial found no benefit	Tablet, capsule; selenomethionine or sodium selenite
Vitamin A / Beta-carotene	Night vision, skin and mucous membrane maintenance	Established nutrient function; high-dose beta-carotene in smokers showed harm, not benefit	Tablet, capsule, softgel; retinyl palmitate or beta-carotene
Vitamin B complex	Energy metabolism; everyday fatigue	Benefits mixed to null in people who are not deficient; fixed Japanese nutrient wording available	Tablet, capsule, drink
Vitamin C	Immune function; skin and collagen	No prevention effect in the general population; modest effects under heavy physical exertion	Tablet, chewable, capsule, powder
Vitamin D	Calcium absorption and bones; immune function	Large VITAL trial found no broad benefit in people with enough vitamin D; helps most where levels are low	Softgel, tablet, oral drops
Vitamin E	Antioxidant function	Large long-term trials found no broad benefit and a safety signal at high doses	Soft capsule, tablet, oil
Vitamin K2 (MK-4 / MK-7)	Bone-related markers in midlife and older women	Few trials, bone-related markers at very different doses; MK-4 and MK-7 are not interchangeable	Capsule, tablet, softgel
Zinc	Taste, skin and immune function	May shorten cold duration (low-certainty evidence); little or no preventive effect; side effects more common	Tablet, capsule, lozenge; gluconate, citrate, oxide or sulfate forms

“Studied for” describes research on healthy functions. It is not a claim that any product prevents, treats or cures a disease.

Capsules, additives and packaging

The decisions that sit around the ingredients — dosage form, capsule shell, excipients, bottle and label — and how Japanese rules and your market's rules shape each one.

Product designs that work well

Eight starting points we often recommend — each chosen so that the dose fits the dosage form and every claim can point to a study. Amounts are set per product, matched to the studies you intend to cite.

Beauty drink or jelly Collagen peptide + hyaluronic acid + vitamin C Collagen is dosed in grams, so a drink, jelly or powder stick carries it in one serving. Vitamin C adds a nutrient with an authorised collagen-formation claim in the EU. Watch: Taste work for fish collagen; your market’s rules on beauty wording.

Beauty capsule Astaxanthin + hyaluronic acid (+ vitamin E) Both work at milligram-level amounts, so one or two soft capsules a day are enough. The soft capsule protects oil-soluble, light-sensitive astaxanthin. Watch: Light-proof packaging; capsule shell and dietary suitability.

Evening routine GABA, alone or with carefully chosen companions GABA is stable and dosed in milligrams, so it fits a tablet, a sweet or a drink. It suits a modest “everyday” positioning. Watch: Companion herbs in relaxation formulas are the most common reason a Japanese factory refuses a formula.

Eye comfort capsule Lutein and zeaxanthin + bilberry extract Both are studied for eyes after screen work and fit one soft capsule a day. Lutein is oil-soluble, so the soft capsule also protects it. Watch: Several eye trials tested combinations — match your formula to the study you cite.

Sport powder Creatine monohydrate (+ HMB) Creatine is dosed in grams, so a powder stick is the natural format; its EU authorised claim is conditional on 3 g a day. Watch: Evidence for HMB in trained athletes is weak; keep claims to what each ingredient supports.

Daily basics Multivitamin and minerals within Japan’s nutrient-claim ranges Japan fixes the wording and the daily-amount range for each vitamin and mineral, which makes the label straightforward and consistent. Watch: Upper limits in every market you sell in, and iron safety for young children.

Omega-3 softgel EPA and DHA fish oil + vitamin E Fish oil needs a soft capsule, and vitamin E is commonly added to help protect the oil from oxidation. Watch: Oxidation, fish odour and fish allergen labelling.

Daily gut care A named lactic acid bacteria or bifidobacteria strain + dietary fibre A strain with its own studies gives you something specific to cite. Fibre is a common, simple partner. Watch: For live bacteria, the count at the end of shelf life and moisture-proof packaging.

Have a different idea? Almost any food-legal concept can be made. Send us yours and we start with the formula check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Japan-made supplement be sold under my own brand in my country?

Yes. The product is made at a GMP-certified partner factory in Japan and labelled with your brand. What your own country requires for registration or notification is handled on your side, and we prepare the manufacturing documents your importer will need.

Why would a Japanese factory refuse my formula?

Japan decides whether a product is a food or a medicine largely by its ingredients. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare publishes a list of substances treated exclusively as medicines, and a product containing one of them cannot be made as a food. We check your formula against that list before anything else.

Which popular supplement ingredients cannot be made in Japan?

Some ingredients sold freely as supplements elsewhere are treated as medicines in Japan. Melatonin, ashwagandha, isolated taurine, purified glutathione and tranexamic acid are well-known examples, and each has its own guide on this page. We check every ingredient of your formula before anything else and suggest food-permitted alternatives where they exist.

Can I get a Certificate of Free Sale for a Japan-made supplement?

Since 1 April 2020, Certificates of Free Sale for food exported from Japan have been issued by the regional agricultural administration offices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, for foods manufactured in Japan that are or could be sold in Japan, among other conditions. A formula that could not legally be sold as a food in Japan therefore cannot obtain one. The certificate also does not certify the safety of an individual product.

Do you publish a minimum order quantity or a price?

No. Both depend on the dosage form, the ingredients and the packaging, so any number given before the specification exists would be misleading. Send us the concept and we come back with the real figures for your product.

Can you tell us which ingredients have good research behind them?

Yes. Our ingredient guides summarise the published human research on each ingredient, with sources, and explain how it is usually formulated. We do not attach disease or treatment claims to any product.

Contact

Tell us what you want to buy or sell — in Vietnam or Japan

Selling into Vietnam or Japan, sourcing from either, or a product made under your own brand. One Japanese-managed team in Ho Chi Minh City, working in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.

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